Asia Stocks pull Ahead, investors on edge Before BOJ Verdict

Asian shares got off to a tentative start on Wednesday, while the yen was steady as investors braced for the outcome of the Bank of Japan's policy meeting amid heightened speculation the central bank will make crucial changes to its massive easing programme. 

 

The BOJ is expected to make negative interest rates the centrepiece of a new policy framework - widely seen as a desperate attempt to show it still has the firepower to lift Japan out of years of stagnation. 

 

Ahead of the decision, MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan added 0.15 percent, perched at its highest levels since September 12. Markets in New Zealand and Australia were flat. "Expectations are that the BoJ may push back the timing of its 2 percent inflation target making it a more medium term objective, make QE more flexible in an attempt to steepen the curve and possibly cut the deposit rate further into negative territory," ANZ bank analysts said in a note to clients.

 

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