Industrial Output, Retail Sales to Decline in Japan: Reuters Poll

A recent Reuters poll indicates that factory activity in Japan is expected to have weakened further during February even as retail sales..

Industrial Output, Retail Sales to Decline in Japan: Reuters Poll

A recent Reuters poll indicates that factory activity in Japan is expected to have weakened further during February even as retail sales continued to fall for the fifth consecutive month. According to the poll, industrial output is expected to have risen by just 0.1% in February, after seeing a 1.0% increase in the previous month.

Meanwhile, retail sales is expected to decline by 1.2% during February, after having contracted by 0.4% during January on account of the coronavirus outbreak. Supply chain disruptions and a fall in domestic demand are expected to have driven both industrial output as well as retail sales lower, putting more strain on the economy.

Japan’s economy is expected to experience a recession in the near future as a result of the escalating crisis surrounding coronavirus. Even as domestic demand weakens, external demand is also on the decline, something that does not bode well for an economy which is traditionally heavily reliant on its exports.

The upcoming lockdown measures enforced by the government are expected to drive both industrial output and retail sales even weaker this month. On a slightly positive note, however, unemployment rate is expected to hold steady at 2.4% for February while the jobs-to-applicants ratio could see a slight improvement from 1.49 in the previous month to 1.47.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR See More
Arslan Butt
Index & Commodity Analyst
Arslan Butt serves as the Lead Commodities and Indices Analyst, bringing a wealth of expertise to the field. With an MBA in Behavioral Finance and active progress towards a Ph.D., Arslan possesses a deep understanding of market dynamics.His professional journey includes a significant role as a senior analyst at a leading brokerage firm, complementing his extensive experience as a market analyst and day trader. Adept in educating others, Arslan has a commendable track record as an instructor and public speaker.His incisive analyses, particularly within the realms of cryptocurrency and forex markets, are showcased across esteemed financial publications such as ForexCrunch, InsideBitcoins, and EconomyWatch, solidifying his reputation in the financial community.

Related Articles

Comments

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

HFM

Doo Prime

XM

Best Forex Brokers