Bank of Japan holds fire on fresh stimulus despite weak GDP

The Bank of Japan on Wednesday held off launching fresh stimulus, even as weak growth figures earlier this week aggravate concerns about the strength of a recovery in the world's number three economy. Policymakers said Japan was seeing a "moderate recovery trend", after wrapping up a two-day meeting, but they further cut back on their inflation expectations, in a sign that the BoJ's price targets look increasingly out of reach. The central bank's decision to keep its alr