Japan's core private-sector machinery orders fell 12.0 percent in April from the previous month to the lowest level in nearly six years, government data showed Wednesday, as the nationwide coronavirus-linked state of emergency wreaked havoc on corporate activity.
The orders, which exclude those for ships and from electricity utilities due to their volatility, totaled ¥752.59 billion ($7 billion), the least since they stood at ¥720.84 billion in May 2014, according to the Cabinet Office.
The 12 percent drop in machinery orders, seen as a leading indicator of capital expenditure, was the sharpest decline since September 2018 when they sagged 16.8 percent on month. They decreased for the second consecutive month, following a 0.4 percent drop in March.