Japan's factory output slid faster than expected and retail sales tumbled the most in more than two decades in April, as the coronavirus pandemic wrecked both foreign and domestic demand for the country's autos and other manufactured goods.
Global activity ground to a halt in April as government-imposed lockdowns due to the pandemic disrupted supply chains and led consumers to postpone many purchases, putting a damper on the outlook for the world's third-largest economy.
Official data Friday showed factory output slipped 9.1 percent in April from the previous month, the biggest drop since comparable data became available in 2013 as automakers and iron and steel manufacturers suffered sharp output declines due to weak global demand.