Japan's annual core consumer inflation slowed for a third straight month in October due to falling oil prices, highlighting the economic gloom facing Premier Shinzo Abe as he campaigns for a new mandate to implement his stalled recovery plan. "Inflation could continue to slow because oil prices are falling," said Hidenobu Tokuda, senior economist at Mizuho Research Institute. "Other data show the economy is recovering, but this is not really because of Abe's policies." Analysts remain skeptical of the Bank of Japan's view that inflation will accelerate to 2 percent in the fiscal year from April 2015 on a stronger ... (full story)