Japan: Industrial production increases in January
Industrial production increased 0.8% in January on a month-on-month and seasonally-adjusted basis, down from the revised 1.2% increase in December (previously reported: +1.3% month-on-month).
January’s reading was supported by increased production of motor vehicles and transport equipment (excluding motor vehicles), but weighed on by lower output of production machinery, and general-purpose and business-orientated machinery.
On an annual basis, industrial production fell 2.5% in January, after decreasing a revised 3.1% in December (previously reported: -3.0% year-on-year). The annual average variation in industrial production deteriorated to minus 3.1% in January from minus 2.8% in December.