MNI 5 THINGS: Japan Dec Machine Orders Drop On Weaker Mfg

--Nov Core Machine Orders -0.1% M/M Vs Median -0.9%

--Nov Core Machine Orders Post 2nd M/M Drop In 3 Months

     TOKYO (MNI) - Japan's core machinery orders, excluding those for power

generation equipment and ships, slid in December, falling for the second time in

three months, with manufacturing orders dipping further and non-manufacturing

rebounding. 

     The following are the key points from the data released by the Cabinet

Office:

     -- Core orders fell 0.1% in December, extending the downward trend which

started with November's -0.02%. The MNI survey median of 13 economist forecasts

projected a 0.9% fall. 

     -- October-December core orders, which reported a 4.2% decline, marked the

first quarterly drop since the second quarter in 2017. The outlook for

January-March period -f for a fall of 1.8%, the Cabinet Office said.

     -- Orders from the manufacturing sector decreased further to 8.5% in

December from the 6.4% drop in November, showing the underlying weakening demand

in the sector. Orders from the non-manufacturing sector, excluding power

generation and ships, rose 6.8%, accelerating from November's 2.5% gain.

     -- The three-month moving average of core orders rose for the first rise in

four months to 2.4% in December, following -4.5% in November and -2.0% in

October.

     -- The Cabinet Office lowered its outlook assessment for industry -- now

"machinery orders are marking time" from the previous "pickup of orders is

marking time".

--MNI Beijing Bureau; tel: +86 (10) 8532-5998; email: flora.guo@marketnews.com

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

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