Bank of Japan policymakers saw the price outlook muddled by rising global commodity costs and soft consumption, minutes of their June meeting showed, underscoring the central bank's policy conundrum brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Japan has not been immune to global commodity inflation with companies seeing input costs rising, though consumer prices have barely risen in contrast to those of other advanced nations that are reopening their economies. "Many members said domestic wholesale inflation is rising reflecting global commodity price hikes, which could push up consumer prices down the road," the minutes of ... (full story)