Investing.com - The Bank of Japan made no changes to its aggressive monetary easing policy in a widely expected decision, it announced on Thursday.
The BoJ affirmed plans to increase the monetary base at an annual pace of about JPY60 trillion to JPY70 trillion.
The central bank raised its growth projection for the fiscal year beginning April 2014 from 1.3% to 1.5%.
The BoJ kept its inflation forecast steady, expecting core consumer inflation in fiscal 2015 to hit 1.9%.
Following the decision, the yen was higher against the U.S. dollar, with USD/JPY shedding 0.22% to trade at 98.31.
Meanwhile, Asian stock markets were lower. Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index tumbled 1.2%, Australia’s ASX/200 Index fell 0.1%, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index declined 0.5%.
The BoJ affirmed plans to increase the monetary base at an annual pace of about JPY60 trillion to JPY70 trillion.
The central bank raised its growth projection for the fiscal year beginning April 2014 from 1.3% to 1.5%.
The BoJ kept its inflation forecast steady, expecting core consumer inflation in fiscal 2015 to hit 1.9%.
Following the decision, the yen was higher against the U.S. dollar, with USD/JPY shedding 0.22% to trade at 98.31.
Meanwhile, Asian stock markets were lower. Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index tumbled 1.2%, Australia’s ASX/200 Index fell 0.1%, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index declined 0.5%.