The Bank of Japan is expected to keep interest rates steady on Thursday, as it awaits more clarity on how the deepening Middle East conflict could affect the trajectory of an import-reliant economy that had already seen inflationary pressure build up. The decision comes in a week crammed with central bank meetings including by the Federal Reserve and European Central Bank, all of which have seen their policy path muddled by the Middle East oil shock. Governor Kazuo Ueda is likely to maintain the BOJ's pledge to keep raising still-low borrowing costs but offer few clues on the next rate-hike timing, which would depend ... (full story)