MNI DATA IMPACT: Japan April Industrial Output Up 0.6% M/M

     TOKYO (MNI) - Japan's industrial production rose 0.6% month-on-month in

April, helped by stronger shipment and smaller inventories, data from the

Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) Friday showed. 

     Here are key points in the data highlighted by MNI: 

--Industrial production rose 0.6% m/m in April, outpacing both the 0.2% m/m

increase forecast in an MNI survey and the 0.9% drop in March. 

     --Shipments rose 1.7% m/m in April, picking up from the 0.6% fall in March.

The increase was led by a rise in the automobile and machinery industries.

     --Inventories was seen unchanged in April from last month's 1.6% m/m

increase due to the strong growth in shipments.

     --Industrial production may rise 5.6% month-on-month in May (revised up

from 3.6% in the previous forecast), and fall 4.2% m/m in June, METI said.

     --METI upgraded their assessment to "factory output is marking time" from

the previous assessment that saw "factory output weakening". 

--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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