April data shows stronger-than-expected growth in Japan’s retail and manufacturing sectors, signaling potential economic resilience.
Japan’s April retail sales and manufacturing output rose faster than anticipated, according to official data. The gains suggest a pickup in domestic demand and industrial activity amid shifting monetary policy expectations.
Retail sales grew at a robust pace, outpacing consensus estimates, while factory output also exceeded forecasts. The data follows earlier reports of slowing inflation, complicating the Bank of Japan’s policy outlook.
The yen held near 159.60 per dollar as markets awaited intervention data from Japan’s Ministry of Finance, with speculation of up to ¥10 trillion deployed in late April to support the currency.