The Bank of Japan is expected this month to broadly maintain its projection that trend inflation will stay near its 2 per cent target in coming years, despite global economic uncertainties and soft consumption, say sources familiar with its thinking. The projection will be part of the bank's quarterly outlook report due at its next rate review on Jan. 22-23, when the board is widely expected to keep ultra-loose policy settings unchanged. Any such forecast will likely underscore the BOJ's cautious optimism that the economy was making steady progress towards sustainably achieving its 2 per cent inflation target - a ... (full story)