{"id":57216,"date":"2025-12-18T19:38:21","date_gmt":"2025-12-18T23:38:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/japans-inflation-holds-steady-global-trade-faces-headwinds-and-political-tensions-rise\/57216\/"},"modified":"2025-12-18T19:38:21","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T23:38:21","slug":"japans-inflation-holds-steady-global-trade-faces-headwinds-and-political-tensions-rise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/japans-inflation-holds-steady-global-trade-faces-headwinds-and-political-tensions-rise\/57216\/","title":{"rendered":"Japan&#8217;s Inflation Holds Steady, Global Trade Faces Headwinds, and Political Tensions Rise"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Japan&#39;s National CPI<\/strong> for November held steady at <strong>2.9% year-over-year<\/strong>, aligning with estimates, while core inflation (excluding fresh food) also met expectations at <strong>3.0%<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>FedEx (<a href=\"\/stock\/FDX\">FDX<\/a>)<\/strong> is successfully onboarding new business from <strong>Amazon (<a href=\"\/stock\/AMZN\">AMZN<\/a>)<\/strong> and secured incremental B2B business from <strong>BMW<\/strong>, though its international export advantage remains pressured by the global trade environment.<\/li>\n<li>The signing of the <strong>EU-Mercosur trade deal<\/strong> has been delayed as Italy seeks more time, highlighting ongoing challenges in international trade agreements.<\/li>\n<li>US Senate Majority Leader <strong>John Thune<\/strong> has indicated that a healthcare plan could be included in a reconciliation bill and agrees with Ukrainian President <strong>Zelenskiy<\/strong> on the need to pressure Russia.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Japan&#39;s inflation figures for November indicate a stable, albeit slightly decelerating, price environment. The National Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by <strong>2.9% year-over-year<\/strong>, matching analyst estimates but slightly down from the previous month&#39;s <strong>3.0%<\/strong>. Core CPI, which excludes fresh food, also came in as expected at <strong>3.0%<\/strong> year-over-year, holding steady from the prior month. Furthermore, the CPI excluding both fresh food and energy increased by <strong>3.0% year-over-year<\/strong>, a slight decrease from the previous <strong>3.1%<\/strong>. These figures suggest that <em>inflationary pressures in Japan are persistent but largely in line with expectations<\/em>, providing the Bank of Japan with data to consider for future monetary policy decisions.<\/p>\n<p>In corporate news, shipping giant FedEx (<a href=\"\/stock\/FDX\">FDX<\/a>) reported positive developments in its business-to-business (B2B) segment. The company&#39;s CEO confirmed that the onboarding of new business from <strong>Amazon (<a href=\"\/stock\/AMZN\">AMZN<\/a>)<\/strong> is progressing well. Additionally, FedEx secured incremental B2B business from <strong>BMW<\/strong> during the quarter, signaling success in expanding its enterprise client base. However, a FedEx executive noted that the company anticipates its <em>second-half international export advantage will continue to be pressured by the prevailing global trade environment<\/em>. This outlook underscores the broader challenges faced by logistics companies amid fluctuating global trade dynamics.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, international trade policy is facing headwinds with the delayed signing of the <strong>EU-Mercosur trade deal<\/strong>. The agreement&#39;s finalization has been postponed, primarily due to <strong>Italy&#39;s<\/strong> request for more time. This delay highlights the complexities and sensitivities surrounding major trade pacts, particularly concerning agricultural protections and member state consensus.<\/p>\n<p>On the political front, US Senate Majority Leader <strong>John Thune<\/strong> has made several notable statements. He indicated that a healthcare plan might be incorporated into a reconciliation bill, a legislative tool that allows certain bills to pass with a simple majority in the Senate. Thune also expressed agreement with Ukrainian President <strong>Volodymyr Zelenskiy<\/strong> regarding the necessity of increasing pressure on Russia. These comments signal potential legislative action on key domestic and foreign policy issues in the near future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways Japan&#39;s National CPI for November held steady at 2.9% year-over-year, aligning with estimates, while core inflation (excluding fresh 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