Japanese companies’ inflation expectations heightened slightly in December from three months ago, offering some hope for the central bank in its fight to hit its elusive 2 percent inflation target.Companies surveyed by the Bank of Japan expect consumer prices to rise 0.8 percent a year from now, higher than their projection for a 0.7 percent increase three months ago. Firms also expect consumer prices to rise an annual 1.1 percent three years from now and 1.1 percent five years ahead, unchanged from three months ago, the BOJ’s quarterly “tankan” survey on corporate inflation expectations showed on Monday. The data ... (full story)