Japan manufacturers downbeat in April: survey

Tokyo

CONFIDENCE among Japanese manufacturers slid for the first time in three months in April but service sector firms' mood improved, a Reuters poll showed, underscoring the uneven nature of the economy's rebound from a recession last year.

The Reuters Tankan, which closely tracks the Bank of Japan's quarterly tankan survey, followed a recent run of weak indicators that has raised concerns about a sustainable recovery in the world's third largest economy.