Japan's consumer prices fall 0.1% in October

[TOKYO] Japanese consumer prices fell 0.1 per cent in October year-on-year, official data showed Friday, as the government mulls ways to safeguard its fragile economy.

The fall in core inflation, which excludes volatile fresh food prices, marked the third straight monthly decline, according to the internal affairs ministry.

The decline was in line with analysts' expectations, according to a Bloomberg survey.

Falling gasoline prices pulled the index down, the ministry said.

Meanwhile, the nation's unemployment rate improved to 3.1 per cent in October, showing a slight improvement from 3.4 per cent seen in September, the ministry also said.

But household spending for the month fell 2.4 per cent, compared with the same month a year ago, the ministry said.

AFP