Japan April machinery orders rise 2.2%

Japan’s machinery orders rose in April by 2.2%, seasonally adjusted, according to the Cabinet Office in Tokyo on Friday.

The Cabinet Office data showed that demand from non-manufacturers had driven the growth, while there was weaker-than-expected demand from manufacturers due to weakness in the export markets. Core private sector machinery orders stood at ¥1.012 trillion. Demand from non-manufacturers was driven by domestic consumption growth in Japan, as the country experienced the lowest jobless rates since 1998.