-
Japan industrial output decline raises doubts about domestic demand
Japan's industrial output fell in February at the fastest pace in eight months due to declines in production of machinery, cars and electronics in a worrying sign that domestic demand could be faltering. Economists were already braced for a fall as many companies were expected to trim output due to the timing of Lunar New Year holidays, but the 3.4 percent month-on-month decline in February was much worse than expected at almost double the median estimate for a 1.8 percent fall. Manufacturers' forecasts for the coming months still point to a gradual recovery in output, but the outlook is less certain and could ... (full story)