Core machine orders in Japan plummeted 14.4 percent on month in November, the Cabinet Office said on Thursday - worth 773.8 billion yen.
The headline figure missed forecasts for a decline of 7.3 percent following the 10.7 percent increase in October.
On a yearly basis, core machine orders added just 1.2 percent - also well shy of forecasts for an increase of 6.3 percent and slowing from 10.3 percent in the previous month.
The total number of machinery orders, including those volatile ones for ships and from electric power companies, tumbled 23.2 percent on month and gained 4.3 percent on year.
Manufacturing orders shed 10.2 percent on month and added 1.3 percent on year to 338.3 billion yen in November, while non-manufacturing orders skidded 18.0 percent on month and added 1.5 percent on year to 437.9 billion yen.
Government orders added 0.9 percent on month and tumbled 24.8 percent on year to 192.5 billion yen. Orders from overseas skidded 25.0 percent on month and gained 9.0 percent on year to 970.0 billion yen. Orders from agencies gained 3.5 percent on month and 17.5 percent on year to 116.8 billion yen.
For the fourth quarter of 2015, core machine orders are forecast to have gained 2.9 percent on quarter and 6.8 percent on year.
Also on Thursday, the Bank of Japan said that producer prices were down 0.3 percent on month in December. That beat forecasts for a decline of 0.4 percent following the 0.1 percent contraction in November.
On a yearly basis, producer prices dropped 3.4 percent - also exceeding expectations for a fall of 3.5 percent following the 3.6 percent decline in the previous month.
Export prices were down 0.6 percent on month and 6.5 percent on year in December, the bank said, while import prices fell 2.1 percent on month and 18.2 percent on year.
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