FX.co ★ Japan Consumer Mood Falls from 6-Month High

Japan’s consumer confidence index inched down to 35.4 in September 2026 from 35.5 in August, when it had reached a six-month high, though it still came in slightly above market expectations of 35.3. Among the four main sub-indexes, sentiment deteriorated in two categories: assessments of overall livelihood declined to 33.8 from 34.1, and willingness to purchase durable goods slipped to 27.3 from 27.5. In contrast, views on income growth improved marginally to 40.5 from 40.4, while sentiment regarding employment prospects edged up to 40.0 from 39.9.