All 52 economists surveyed by Bloomberg forecast the BOJ will hold its benchmark rate steadyThe meeting comes as markets have grown increasingly convinced that authorities could conduct another hike by October. That will put the spotlight on updated economic forecasts and Ueda’s press conference in the afternoon. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg, meanwhile, expect the bank’s median inflation forecast to edge slightly lower. Ueda will preside over the meeting for the first time since returning from hospitalisation for treatment of a liver cyst infection. His absence from last month’s gathering made him the first BOJ governor since 2010 to miss a policy meeting.