Asia Intelligence Brief for Friday, February 20, 2026

2026-02-20 - 19:33

Daily Edition · Friday, February 20, 2026 Covering Feb 19–20 What matters today 1 Japan CPI falls below BOJ 2% target for first time in 45 months — headline inflation 1.5% (lowest since March 2022); core 2.0%; core-core 2.6%; Takaichi’s food tax suspension pledge compresses near-term path; BOJ upgraded FY26 inflation forecasts despite dip; yen