MNI DATA IMPACT: Japan April Machine Orders Up 5.2% m/m

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

generation equipment and ships, accelerated in April, leaving the government

able to up its outlook assessment, data from the Cabinet Office released on

Wednesday showed. 

     -- Core orders rose 5.2% in April, accelerating from last month's 3.8%

gain, marking the third rise in six months. The outcome also beat the MNI survey

median of 13 economist forecasts that projected 0.5% growth. 

     -- The increase was mainly driven by orders from the manufacturing sector,

which surged to 16.3% m/m from the 11.4% fall reported in March. Orders from the

non-manufacturing sector, excluding power generation and ships, slowed to 1.2%

m/m in April from the 13.4% gain last month.

     -- The three-month moving average of core orders rose 3.6% in April after

-0.01% and -1.4% in March and February, the first time in four months.

     -- The Cabinet Office upgraded its outlook assessment on the machinery

orders to "shows sign of picking up" from previous "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

[TOPICS: MAJDS$,MAUDR$,MAUDS$,M$A$$$,M$J$$$,M$U$$$]