KONTAN.CO.ID - TOKYO. Japan's factory output rose for a second straight month in July, signaling a gradual recovery from the blow delivered by the coronavirus pandemic. But retail sales fell for a fifth straight month and at a somewhat faster pace, a worrying sign for private consumption, which accounts for more than half of the world's third-largest economy. Monday's data underscored the fragility of an economy that suffered a record 27.8% contraction in the April-June quarter as the pandemic took a heavy toll on both domestic and external demand.
Japan industrial output rises for second month but retail sales fall again
KONTAN.CO.ID - TOKYO. Japan's factory output rose for a second straight month in July, signaling a gradual recovery from the blow delivered by the coronavirus pandemic. But retail sales fell for a fifth straight month and at a somewhat faster pace, a worrying sign for private consumption, which accounts for more than half of the world's third-largest economy. Monday's data underscored the fragility of an economy that suffered a record 27.8% contraction in the April-June quarter as the pandemic took a heavy toll on both domestic and external demand.