Latest news with #AnnabelFiddes
Business Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Times
Japan's service growth picks up in July on upbeat demand: PMI
[TOKYO] Japan's service sector activity rose at the fastest pace in five months in July, thanks to brisk domestic demand that offset a sharp drop in export orders and weaker tourist numbers, a private sector survey reported on Tuesday (Aug 5). The S&P Global final Japan Services purchasing managers' index (PMI) climbed to 53.6 in July from 51.7 in June, marking the strongest expansion since February. A PMI reading above 50 indicates growth in activity, while that below the threshold points to contraction. New service business orders grew at the quickest pace in three months, supported by improved customer numbers, according to the survey. However, new export orders fell for the first time since December and at the fastest rate in over three years due to low tourist numbers in July, it showed. Some survey respondents attributed the weak tourist figures to speculative concerns about an earthquake in July. Employment in the service sector was unchanged from the previous month, ending a 21-month growth streak, with some respondents citing labour shortages and budget constraints as challenges to hiring. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Price pressures continued to ease in July. Input cost inflation was the slowest in 17 months, while output costs rose at the softest pace in nine months. The composite PMI, which combines manufacturing and services, rose slightly to 51.6 in July from 51.5 in June, marking the strongest overall business activity growth since February. 'However, this reflected a steep increase in business activity at service providers, as factory output fell back into indicators were a little less upbeat in July,' said Annabel Fiddes, economics associate director at S&P Global Market Intelligence. The US-Japan trade deal announced last month could lift Japanese firms' confidence and consumption to offer 'a much-needed boost to the manufacturing economy', Fiddes added. REUTERS
Yomiuri Shimbun
01-08-2025
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Japan's Factory Activity Slips Back into Decline in July, PMI Shows
TOKYO, Aug 1 (Reuters) – Japan's manufacturing activity shrank in July after briefly stabilizing in the previous month as weak demand pulled production back into contraction, a private sector survey showed on Friday. The S&P Global Japan manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) fell to 48.9 in July from 50.1 in June, dropping below the 50.0 threshold that separates growth from contraction. The PMI was little changed from the flash reading of 48.8. Most of the survey data was collected before the announcement of a Japan-U.S. trade agreement last week, which lowers tariffs imposed on Japan to 15% from a previously threatened 25%. As the trade deal with Washington kicks in, 'it will be important to see if this will translate into greater client confidence and improved sales in the months ahead,' said Annabel Fiddes, economics associate director at S&P Global Market Intelligence, which compiles the survey. The key sub-index of output fell back into contraction and at the sharpest pace since March. Companies widely reported reducing production due to lower volumes of new business, according to the survey. New orders shrank again in July, though at a slightly slower pace than in June. Despite falling production and orders, manufacturers continued to increase staffing in July, though the pace of job creation slowed to a three-month low. On the price front, input cost inflation eased to its lowest in four-and-a-half years, while output prices rose at the fastest rate in a year as firms passed on higher costs to customers. Business confidence improved to a six-month high in July, with firms expecting improved demand conditions and reduced trade-related uncertainty to support growth over the next year.
Yahoo
01-08-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Japan's factory activity slips back into decline in July, PMI shows
TOKYO (Reuters) -Japan's manufacturing activity shrank in July after briefly stabilising in the previous month as weak demand pulled production back into contraction, a private sector survey showed on Friday. The S&P Global Japan manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) fell to 48.9 in July from 50.1 in June, dropping below the 50.0 threshold that separates growth from contraction. The PMI was little changed from the flash reading of 48.8. Most of the survey data was collected before the announcement of a Japan-U.S. trade agreement last week, which lowers tariffs imposed on Japan to 15% from a previously threatened 25%. As the trade deal with Washington kicks in, "it will be important to see if this will translate into greater client confidence and improved sales in the months ahead," said Annabel Fiddes, economics associate director at S&P Global Market Intelligence, which compiles the survey. The key sub-index of output fell back into contraction and at the sharpest pace since March. Companies widely reported reducing production due to lower volumes of new business, according to the survey. New orders shrank again in July, though at a slightly slower pace than in June. Despite falling production and orders, manufacturers continued to increase staffing in July, though the pace of job creation slowed to a three-month low. On the price front, input cost inflation eased to its lowest in four-and-a-half years, while output prices rose at the fastest rate in a year as firms passed on higher costs to customers. Business confidence improved to a six-month high in July, with firms expecting improved demand conditions and reduced trade-related uncertainty to support growth over the next year. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
CNA
01-08-2025
- Business
- CNA
Japan's factory activity slips back into decline in July, PMI shows
TOKYO :Japan's manufacturing activity shrank in July after briefly stabilising in the previous month as weak demand pulled production back into contraction, a private sector survey showed on Friday. The S&P Global Japan manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) fell to 48.9 in July from 50.1 in June, dropping below the 50.0 threshold that separates growth from contraction. The PMI was little changed from the flash reading of 48.8. Most of the survey data was collected before the announcement of a Japan-U.S. trade agreement last week, which lowers tariffs imposed on Japan to 15 per cent from a previously threatened 25 per cent. As the trade deal with Washington kicks in, "it will be important to see if this will translate into greater client confidence and improved sales in the months ahead," said Annabel Fiddes, economics associate director at S&P Global Market Intelligence, which compiles the survey. The key sub-index of output fell back into contraction and at the sharpest pace since March. Companies widely reported reducing production due to lower volumes of new business, according to the survey. New orders shrank again in July, though at a slightly slower pace than in June. Despite falling production and orders, manufacturers continued to increase staffing in July, though the pace of job creation slowed to a three-month low. On the price front, input cost inflation eased to its lowest in four-and-a-half years, while output prices rose at the fastest rate in a year as firms passed on higher costs to customers. Business confidence improved to a six-month high in July, with firms expecting improved demand conditions and reduced trade-related uncertainty to support growth over the next year.
Reuters
01-08-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Japan's factory activity slips back into decline in July, PMI shows
TOKYO, Aug 1 (Reuters) - Japan's manufacturing activity shrank in July after briefly stabilising in the previous month as weak demand pulled production back into contraction, a private sector survey showed on Friday. The S&P Global Japan manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) fell to 48.9 in July from 50.1 in June, dropping below the 50.0 threshold that separates growth from contraction. The PMI was little changed from the flash reading of 48.8. Most of the survey data was collected before the announcement of a Japan-U.S. trade agreement last week, which lowers tariffs imposed on Japan to 15% from a previously threatened 25%. As the trade deal with Washington kicks in, "it will be important to see if this will translate into greater client confidence and improved sales in the months ahead," said Annabel Fiddes, economics associate director at S&P Global Market Intelligence, which compiles the survey. The key sub-index of output fell back into contraction and at the sharpest pace since March. Companies widely reported reducing production due to lower volumes of new business, according to the survey. New orders shrank again in July, though at a slightly slower pace than in June. Despite falling production and orders, manufacturers continued to increase staffing in July, though the pace of job creation slowed to a three-month low. On the price front, input cost inflation eased to its lowest in four-and-a-half years, while output prices rose at the fastest rate in a year as firms passed on higher costs to customers. Business confidence improved to a six-month high in July, with firms expecting improved demand conditions and reduced trade-related uncertainty to support growth over the next year.
