Bank of Japan policy board member Takata said he does not rule out large or consecutive rate increases, adding a 25bp move is "not set in stone" and that consecutive hikes are possible. Takata, one of the BOJ’s most hawkish board members, drove a yen move — the currency strengthened about 0.5% to 159.44 per dollar after earlier slipping to 160.39. Aozora Bank’s chief market strategist said markets reacted to Takata’s explicit signal on consecutive hikes, and that his comments were more aggressiv

Bank of Japan policy board member Takata said he does not rule out large or consecutive rate increases, adding a 25bp move is "not set in stone" and that consecutive hikes are possible. Takata, one of the BOJ’s most hawkish board members, drove a yen move — the currency strengthened about 0.5% to 159.44 per dollar after earlier slipping to 160.39. Aozora Bank’s chief market strategist said markets reacted to Takata’s explicit signal on consecutive hikes, and that his comments were more aggressive on both size and pace than recent statements from the BOJ governor and deputy.