Japan consumer sentiment plunges in March as US-Iran conflict weighs

Higher energy prices and inflation worries are already impacting the mood among Japanese households The main consumer confidence index takes a dive from 39.7 in February to 33.3 in March. And that is the weakest reading since the middle of last year. The US-Iran conflict is threatening to derail the consumer recovery in Japan, not least with higher… The main consumer confidence index takes a dive from 39.7 in February to 33.3 in March. And that is the weakest reading since the middle of last year. The main consumer confidence index takes a dive from 39.7 in February to 33.3 in March. And that is the weakest reading since the middle of last year. The US-Iran conflict is threatening to derail the consumer recovery in Japan, not least with higher petrol prices and spillovers to higher inflation. And for the BOJ, it isn't the good kind of inflation. All of this is part of cost-push inflation… For traders, releases like this can quickly shift rate expectations, currency direction, index futures and broad risk sentiment. Watch follow-through, not just the first reaction: liquidity, volatility and confirmation across related assets usually tell the real story.