Free Republic

The U.S. Treasury on Friday warned Japan not to actively weaken its currency as it again refrained from naming China a manipulator. In its twice-a-year assessment of whether any nation is a currency manipulator, Treasury said it will “closely monitor” Japan’s policies and the extent to which they support the growth of domestic demand. The new Shinzo Abe administration has pushed for aggressive bond-buying at the Bank of Japan, and the yen has dropped 13% against the dollar this year. The Japanese currency rose in Friday afternoon trade after the report was released. … China, meanwhile, escaped being branded a...