The manufacturing sector in Japan continued to expand in December, and at a faster rate, the latest survey from Nikkei revealed on Friday with a PMI score of 52.6.
That's up from the 15-month low of 52.2 in November, and it moves further above the boom-or-bust line of 50 that separates expansion from contraction.
Individually, There was solid output expansion on overage over the fourth quarter, but demand pressures remained subdued.
Also, business optimism fell to its lowest level since November 2016.
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December 19, 2025 15:10 ET U.S. inflation data and interest rate decisions by major central banks were the highlights of this busy week for economics news flow. Employment data and survey results on the housing markets also gained attention in the U.S. In Europe, the European Central Bank and Bank of England announced their policy decisions and macroeconomic projections.