Japanese factories increased output in January for the first time in three months, signaling the country’s economic recovery is continuing despite a renewed state of emergency to contain the coronavirus.
Industrial output rose 4.2% from the previous month, with production of memory chips and semiconductor equipment climbing, the trade ministry reported Friday. Economists had projected a 3.8% overall gain amid rising exports, especially to China.
Separate figures showed retail sales fell at less than half the predicted pace in January compared with the prior month. Declines eased in Tokyo consumer prices, a bellwether for national inflation.