Core private-sector machinery orders rose a seasonally adjusted 9.3 percent month on month in November to their highest level in over five years, the government said Thursday, with many companies eager to bolster investment ahead of the April sales tax hike.

The orders, excluding those for ships as well as those from utilities because of their volatility, came to ¥882.6 billion, the highest since July 2008, before the economy waned against the backdrop of the global financial crisis, the Cabinet Office said.

The orders, widely regarded as a leading indicator of capital spending, increased for the second straight month, it said.