Japan's factory output rose 1.4% in October

[TOKYO] Japan's factory output rose 1.4 per cent in October from the previous month, marking the second straight monthly rise, the government said on Monday.

Increasing production of general machinery, transport equipment and electronic parts contributed to the data, according to the ministry of economy, trade and industry.

Looking ahead, the ministry expected production in November to rise 0.2 per cent, but fall 0.9 per cent in December.

Japan's production overall is making "one step forward and one step back," the ministry said.

The latest announcement came days after fresh data showed falling prices and weak household spending in October, despite Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's efforts to prop up the world's number three economy with aggressive monetary easing and generous fiscal spending.

Earlier this month, official figures showed that Japan's gross domestic product (GDP) shrank 0.2 per cent in the July-September period, or an annualised contraction of 0.8 per cent, marking the second straight quarterly decline.

AFP