Japan’s Factory Output Records Weakest Quarter Since Pandemic
- Quarterly decline in industrial output steepest since 2020
- Economists see slight economic contraction in January-March
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Japan’s factory output rebounded in March from a dismal start to the year, with the quarterly figure registering the weakest performance since the height of the pandemic in a sign the economy may have contracted during the period.
Industrial production rose 3.8% in March from February, as demand picked up after two straight months of declines, industry ministry data showed Tuesday. The result exceeded the consensus forecast of a 3.3% gain.