Consumer Price Index inflation rose 0.5% month-on-month, likely incrementally delaying any Federal Reserve plans for interest rate cuts.

On a monthly basis, the CPI rose 0.5%, versus economists' forecast for a 0.3% increase, according to FactSet. That's the biggest monthly jump since August 2023. It may be due to price increases set at the start of the year by many businesses, noted Bright MLS chief economist Lisa Sturtevant in an email.

This comes as the BOJ was revealed to have considered further rate hikes at its January meeting, warning of inflation risks and a weak yen.

Japan’s inflation is gaining momentum, with January’s consumer price index expected to rise to 4 percent, up from 3.6 percent in December. This positions Japan as the fastest-inflating economy among g-7 nations.

Japan’s inflation surged in January, with consumer prices rising 4% year over year—the highest level since early 2023. This has intensified pressure on the Bank of Japan (BOJ) to tighten its ultra-loose monetary policy.

Japanese inflation accelerated in January, further pressuring households as prices excluding fresh food rose 3.2 percent on-year, government data showed Friday. Overall, inflation including volatile fresh food prices was up 4.