MNI 5 THINGS: Japan Aug Machine Orders Post 2nd Straight Rise

--Japan Aug Core Machine Orders +6.8% M/M; MNI Median -4.0% 

--Japan Aug Core Machine Orders Post 2nd Straight M/M Rise 

--Japan Govt Ups View: Orders Show Sign of Picking up

     TOKYO (MNI) - Japan's core machinery orders, which exclude volatile orders

for power generation equipment and ships, rose 6.8% on month in August, data

released by the Cabinet Office Wednesday showed. It was the second straight

month-on-month rise following an 11.0% gain in July, indicating demand for

capital investment hasn't been affected by uncertainties caused by the

U.S.-China trade dispute.

     The key points from the latest machinery orders data:

     * The core order increase was bigger than the MNI survey median economist

forecast for a 4.0% fall (forecast range: from -5.4% to +3.0%). July-September

core orders are expected to post the first drop in five quarters, down 0.3%

after +2.2% for the April-June quarter.

     * The three-month moving average of core orders rose 2.8% in August from

the previous three-month period, marking the first rise in three months

following -0.9% in July and -1.1% in June.

     * The Cabinet Office upgraded its assessment from the previous month,

saying, "Orders shows a sign of picking up." Previously, it said, "The pick-up

in machinery orders is stalling."

     * Orders from the manufacturing sector rose 6.6% on month in August, the

second straight rise after +11.8% in July, while orders from the

non-manufacturing sector excluding those for power generation and ships also

rose 6.0% on month, the second straight rise after +10.9% in July.

--MNI Tokyo Bureau; tel: +81 90-2175-0040; email: hiroshi.inoue@marketnews.com

--MNI London Bureau; tel: +44 203-586-2225; email: les.commons@marketnews.com

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