The Bank of Japan will probably increase its benchmark rate next month at a meeting that will determine whether authorities can keep from falling behind the curve in fighting inflation, according to a former board member.

Japan’s Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said she will meet the country’s biggest banks to discuss Anthropic PBC’s latest AI model Mythos on Friday, as authorities around the world express concerns about the technology.

The Bank of Japan is leaning toward keeping its policy rate unchanged next week given uncertainties stemming from the war in Iran, with officials still committed to raising borrowing costs sooner or later, according to people familiar with the matter.

Bank of Japan officials are likely to consider raising their inflation forecast sharply at their policy meeting this month, mainly to reflect elevated oil prices, according to people familiar with the matter.

The Bank of Japan will probably increase its benchmark rate this month to avoid falling behind on controlling inflation, according to a former executive director at the central bank.

The Bank of Japan’s messaging has given traders the impression it will raise the benchmark rate this month even as authorities cite the Middle East conflict as a source of uncertainty, with a key question being whether it will send a clear signal, as it did on recent occasions before a move.

The war in Iran is raising upside risks for inflation, bolstering the case for the Bank of Japan to raise interest rates as soon as this month, according to a former BOJ chief economist.

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda kept the possibility of an April interest rate hike on the table after leaving policy unchanged Thursday amid uncertainty over the impact of the Middle East conflict on the economic outlook.

There is still a 50% chance the Bank of Japan will raise its benchmark rate next month after a hold in March even after the conflict in Iran generated new uncertainties, according to a former BOJ executive director who oversaw monetary policy.

Bank of Japan officials are still on track to raise interest rates, with the possibility of April not ruled out, as they continue to monitor the implications of Middle East tensions for Japan’s economy, according to people familiar with the matter.

The Bank of Japan is likely to seize on a raft of new data available in April as an opportunity to raise its benchmark interest rate, looking past rumblings in the market over the possibility of a move in March, according to a former BOJ board member.

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda stuck to his even-handed stance on the central bank’s rate-hike path after holding the benchmark steady and raising the inflation outlook, with his comments helping nudge the yen lower before it rebounded abruptly.

Bank of Japan officials are paying increasing attention to the yen’s potential impact on inflation, with possible implications for future rate hikes after a likely hold decision next week, according to people familiar with the matter.

The Bank of Japan may raise its benchmark interest rates as early as April as heightened market concerns over Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s “dangerous” approach to fiscal policy keep the yen weak, according to a former BOJ board member.

The Bank of Japan is likely to raise its economic growth projection when its board meets later this month, while officials are set to keep the benchmark interest rate on hold, according to people familiar with the matter.

Bank of Japan officials are likely to start selling the central bank’s pile of exchange-traded funds as early as next month, according to people familiar with the matter, a process expected to take decades to complete.

Bank of Japan officials are likely to start selling the central bank’s pile of exchange-traded funds as early as next month, according to people familiar with the matter, a process expected to take decades to complete.

Bank of Japan officials consider it likely that interest rates will rise above 0.75% before their rate hike cycle is over, according to people familiar with the matter, a sign that more increases may be in store after a widely expected move next week.

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda’s policy path may include as many as four rate increases by 2027, with three more coming after a widely anticipated move next week, according to a former executive director.

Bank of Japan officials are ready to raise interest rates at a policy meeting later this month, provided there’s no major shock to the economy or financial markets in the meantime, according to people familiar with the matter.