Japan's small business confidence improved slightly in December after remaining stable in the previous month, survey data from Shoko Chukin Bank showed Tuesday.
The small business confidence indicator rose to 48.8 in December from 48.3 in November. In October, the score was also 48.3.
The confidence indicator for manufacturing climbed by 1.5 points to 48.9 in December. Meanwhile, the non-manufacturing index edged down to 48.7 from 49.0.
The business sentiment indicator for January is expected to fall to 47.0. The index is forecast to decline to 45.9 in manufacturing and to 47.9 in non-manufacturing.
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April 24, 2026 15:15 ET Economics news flow was relatively light this week even as the conflict in the Middle East continued, raising concerns for policymakers. In the U.S., spending data, initial jobless claims and pending home sales were the highlights. Business confidence in the biggest euro area economy was in focus in Europe. Inflation data from Japan gained attention in Asia.