Core machine orders in Japan jumped 4.9 percent on month in July, the Cabinet Office said on Monday - coming in at 891.9 billion yen.
The headline figure beat forecasts for a decline of 2.9 percent following the 8.3 percent spike in June.
On a yearly basis, core machine orders jumped 5.2 percent - also beating expectations for 0.3 percent following the 0.9 percent contraction in the previous month.
The total number of machinery orders, including those volatile ones for ships and from electric power companies, fell 1.2 percent on month and 0.3 percent on year to 983.8 billion yen.
Manufacturing orders gained 0.3 percent on month but lost 1.4 percent on year to 367.7 billion yen in June, while non-manufacturing orders added 8.6 percent on month and 11.3 percent on year to 525.1 billion yen.
Government orders advanced 22.0 percent on month and 33.6 percent on year to 291.9 billion yen. Orders from overseas shed 11.7 percent on month and 32.9 percent on year to 724.8 billion yen. Orders from agencies picked up 4.1 percent on month and 17.4 percent on year to 118.9 billion yen.
Manufacturing orders added 0.3 percent on month, while non-manufacturing orders slipped 1.8 percent.
For the third quarter of 2016, core machine orders are forecast to have climbed 5.2 percent on quarter and 4.8 percent on year.
Also on Monday, the Bank of Japan said that producer prices were down 0.3 percent on month in August. That was shy of forecasts for a decline of 0.1 percent following the flat reading in July.
On a yearly basis, producer prices skidded 3.6 percent versus expectations for 3.4 percent after dropping 3.9 percent in the previous month.
Export prices were up 0.1 percent on month and down 2.6 percent on year, the bank said, while import prices fell 0.6 percent on month and 9.9 percent on year.
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