Japan's Industrial Production Sees a Modest Rise

In December, Japan experienced a slight uptick in its industrial production, with a seasonally adjusted index increasing by 0.3% to reach 102.1. This data, released by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) in their preliminary report on Friday, also highlighted a 1.1% decrease compared to the same month in the previous year.

Shipments and Inventories Show Mixed Trends

The shipments index saw a 0.5% increase month-on-month, reaching 100.3, but faced a 2.4% decline year-on-year. Meanwhile, the inventories index stood at 100.6, marking a 0.7% decrease from the previous month and a 2% reduction from December 2023.

Inventory Ratio Adjustments

The inventory ratio was reported at 106.2, experiencing a 1.6% decrease on a monthly basis but showing a 1.9% increase compared to the same period last year.