The Bank of Japan is set to raise its key interest rate for the first time in 17 years on Tuesday following its two-day monetary policy meeting, Kyodo reported. The BOJ will raise the short-term rate to the 0%-0.1% range, the report said. The development reflects growing confidence among policymakers that a virtuous cycle of wage growth and price hikes is in motion following this year’s labor-management pay negotiations which saw average wages increase to a 33-year high of 5.28%. The BOJ has zeroed in on wage trends since higher incomes would boost consumer purchasing power and make inflation more sustainable. Nikkei ... (full story)