Core machine orders in Japan were down a seasonally adjusted 2.8 percent on month in March, the Cabinet Office said on Wednesday.
That beat forecasts for a contraction of 3.5 percent following the downwardly revised 2.8 percent increase in February.
On a yearly basis, core machine orders fell 1.1 percent - well shy of expectations for a gain of 4.4 percent after climbing 8.9 percent in the previous month.
For the second quarter of 2012, core machine orders are expected to add 2.5 percent compared to the previous three months.
For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com
Economic News
What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more.
June 05, 2026 16:18 ET A busy week for economic news flow saw a slew of reports being released that reflected the trends in the U.S. labor market. In Europe, economic growth and inflation data gained attention as the European Central Bank and Bank of England head for policy session later in the month. In Asia, the monetary policy session of the Indian central bank was in focus as the country, a major oil importer, reels under the pressures of a weaker rupee and rising inflation.