The government on Friday left its assessment of the economy unchanged for July, with sharp rises in stock prices offset by murky outlooks in the direction of overseas economies.
"While the economy remains roughly flat, weak movements have been seen recently in some areas," the Cabinet Office said in its monthly economic report for July, using the same phrasing as in its June report.
The July report says stock prices "are showing a significant recovery," mirroring the bullish market that pushed the bellwether Nikkei stock average up to around 10,000, a level not seen since last August.