TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s factory output in April fell 0.4% from the previous month, government data showed on Wednesday, less than the median market forecast for a 1.5% gain.
Manufacturers surveyed by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) expect output to increase 1.9% in May and expand 1.2% in June, the data also showed.
Separate data also showed Japanese retail sales rose 5% in April from a year earlier, missing a median market forecast for a 7% gain.
Compared with the previous month, retail sales contracted 1.2% in April, following a 0.3% rise in March, the data showed.
For the full tables, visit METI website:
(Reporting by Satoshi Sugiyama; Editing by Chang-Ran Kim and Christian Schmollinger)
