Confidence among Japan’s major manufacturers showed a modest recovery in Q4, breaking a two-quarter decline. The Tankan large manufacturing index rose to 14 from 13, slightly exceeding market expectations. However, the outlook dipped marginally from 14 to 13, though still better than the anticipated 11.
In contrast, the non-manufacturing sector, which includes services, saw its index decline to 33 from 34, marking the first deterioration in two quarters. The outlook for non-manufacturers held steady at 28.
On a bright note, large Japanese companies across sectors plan to boost capital expenditure by 11.3% in the fiscal year ending March 2025. This is a notable increase from the 10.6% projection in the September survey and surpasses market forecasts of 9.6%.
