Japan’s Q1 2020 GDP Revised on Account of Higher Capital Spending

The contraction in the Japanese economy has been revised higher, to indicate a lower than expected decline, however, the risks of recession

Japan's Q1 2020 GDP Revised on Account of Higher Capital Spending

The contraction in the Japanese economy has been revised higher, to indicate a lower than expected decline, however, the risks of a recession continue to weigh on the world’s third largest economy. According to revised data, Japan’s economy contracted by 2.2% YoY during Q1 2020, lesser than the preliminary reading of 3.4% contraction.

However, the decline was slightly higher than the economists’ forecast, which stood at 2.1%. In Q4 2019, Japan’s GDP reading came in at -7.2%, indicating that the country has fallen into a technical recession even before the coronavirus pandemic fueled lockdown was implemented.

On a quarterly basis, the contraction in the economy during Q1 this year works out to 0.6% YoY, a better figure than the initial reading which estimated a 0.9% QoQ contraction. The improvement in the GDP reading was driven by higher levels of capital spending during the first three months of the year.

Business spending gained by 1.9% QoQ in the first quarter of the year, after having estimated to have fallen by 0.5% instead. However, private consumption figures were revised lower for the period, from the prelim reading of 0.7% to a final decline of 0.8% even as net exports took off 0.2% of Japan’s GDP.

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.

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