The Bank of Japan may initiate further quantitative easing by the end of the year, following a similar move in October, Daiwa Institute of Research Chairman Toshiro Muto said in a recent interview. At its Policy Board meeting last week, the central bank decided to expand its asset purchase program by ¥11 trillion by increasing the purchase amount of not only government bonds but exchange-traded funds and other riskier assets. "The BOJ is (moving) in the right direction," Muto said. But the former BOJ deputy governor also said the bank "could have taken a bolder measure." "If the U.S. Federal Reserve decides to ... (full story)