JN Leading Indicators

Japan's leading index improved unexpectedly in December to the highest level in just over one-and-a-half years, preliminary data from the Cabinet Office showed Friday. The leading index, which measures future economic activity, rose to 110.2 in December from 109.9 in November. Meanwhile, economists had expected the index to fall slightly to 109.8. Moreover, the figure was the highest reading since May 2024, when the reading was 111.1. Meanwhile, the coincident index dropped to 114.5 in December from 114.9 a month ago. The coincident ...

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A slight improvement to the leading index but nothing too notable. The assessment of the coincident index remains unchanged i.e. "improving." The index is used as a reference to economic conditions, but most of the indicators used to make up the index has already been released individually - so there isn't much of an impact on this release. The index basically measures up employment data, consumer confidence, production, housing, and stock market data, etc as its leading indicators to derive the number.

Japan cut its view on economic conditions for the first time in more than two years after the coincident indicator index extended its decline in September, falling to the lowest in a year. The index showing current economic conditions, compiled from data including factory output, employment and retail sales, slipped a preliminary 3.8 points from the previous month to 87.5, the Cabinet Office said, marking the third consecutive month of decline. The fall was biggest since May 2020. The government on Monday lowered its assessment of ...