Companies' capital spending slowed in the July-September quarter following a string of natural disasters that weighed on economic activity, government data showed Monday.

Investment by all nonfinancial sectors for purposes such as building factories and adding equipment and software rose 4.5 percent from a year earlier to ¥11.28 trillion, easing from a 12.8 percent rise the previous quarter.

Still, the data released by the Finance Ministry showed that companies raised capital spending for an eighth consecutive quarter amid moves to boost production capacity by chemical and semiconductor firms and increased investment in commercial facility development projects.