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Japan's August household spending rises for ninth month, but wages fall
Japan’s household spending rose for a ninth straight month in August, data showed on Tuesday, offering some relief for the export-dependent economy as it confronts softer global demand and a protracted U.S.-China trade war. But separate data showed wages fell for an eighth consecutive month in August, adding to consumer pain as the government kicked off a sales tax hike this month. The mixed batch of data will keep policymakers under pressure to deploy more fiscal and monetary stimulus measures to shield the economy from a recession, analysts say. Household spending in August rose 1.0% from a year earlier, ... (full story)