Last month, data showed U.S. consumer inflation rose higher than expected in January, while its job growth accelerated. Meanwhile, Japanese investors purchased a net 4.14 trillion yen worth of overseas bonds in a second straight month of net buying last month. Investors had purchased a net 677.81 billion yen worth of U.S. and 713.78 billion yen worth of European bonds in January, data from Bank of Japan showed. "Although this indicates that the aggressive net selling of foreign bonds that started last year may have taken a breather, investment in those bonds could be suppressed again toward the end of the fiscal year as the market monitors the possibility of the Fed reconsidering the pace of its rate hikes in response to recently strong US data," said Barclays in a note on Wednesday.
($1 = 137.6100 yen) <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Japanese investments in overseas assets Japanese investments in US and European assets ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Reporting by Gaurav Dogra and Patturaja Murugaboopathy in Bengaluru; Editing by Varun H K)
