Japan PMI Manufacturing dropped to 47.6 in February, down from 48.8. PMI services dropped to sharply to 46.7, down from 51.0, dipped into contraction. PMI Composite also dropped to 47.0, down from 50.1, now in contraction too.
Joe Hayes, Economist at IHS Markit, said: “latest PMI data dash any hopes of a first quarter recovery in Japan and significantly raise the prospect of a technical recession”. February’s data “stack the odds heavily against Q1 growth, despite Abe’s best efforts to stimulate the economy after the sales tax hike”.
