Corrected fifth para
Japan's unemployment rate remained unchanged at the lowest level since 1994 and retail sales advanced unexpectedly in April, official data showed Tuesday.
The jobless rate held steady at 2.8 percent in April, the lowest since June 1994, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said. The rate also came in line with expectations.
The jobs-to-applicants ratio came in at 1.48 in April versus 1.45 in March. This was the highest since 1974 and marginally above the expected level of 1.46.
Meanwhile, another data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications showed that household spending decreased 1.4 percent from a year ago compared to the forecast of 0.9 percent drop.
According to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, retail sales increased 1.4 percent month-on-month in April from March, confounding expectations for a 0.2 percent fall. On a yearly basis, sales advanced 3.2 percent, faster than the expected 2.3 percent.
Strong gains in retail sales and "core" household spending in April suggest that private consumption is on track for another solid increase in the second quarter, Marcel Thieliant, an economist at Capital Economics, said.
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April 17, 2026 15:29 ET The ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to raise concerns for policymakers who worry about the impact of the supply shock and high energy prices on the real economy. Producer price data and various survey results on the housing market were the main news from the U.S. this week. In Europe, industrial production data for the euro area gained attention. GDP figures out of China and the policy move by the Singapore central bank were in focus in Asia.