Japan's Q4 business capital expenditure growth slows

Tokyo

JAPANESE corporate capital expenditures grew in October-December from a year earlier but the pace slowed from the prior quarter, casting doubt about the strength of business investment seen as key to spurring growth in the world's third-largest economy.

The 2.8 per cent year-on-year increase in capital spending in the fourth quarter followed a 5.5 per cent annual gain in July-September, data by the Ministry of Finance showed on Monday.