MNI DATA IMPACT: Japan August Machine Orders See Declines Slow

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

generation equipment and ships, declined at a slowing pace in August, boosted by

the recovery in the non-manufacturing sector, data from the Cabinet Office

released Thursday showed. 

     -- Core orders fell 2.4% m/m in August, improving from last month's 6.6%

drop, modestly outperforming the MNI survey median of 13 economist forecasts

suggesting a 2.5% decrease. 

     -- Orders from the non-manufacturing sectors dropped 8.0% m/m, up from the

previous 15.6% m/m fall. Orders from manufacturing sectors dropped 1.0% m/m,

compared with last month's 5.4%m/m gain. 

     --The three-month moving average of core orders rose 1.2% in August,

following the drop of 0.6% and gain of 3.5% recorded in July and June,

respectively.

     -- The outlook for the July-September period is for a 6.1% fall, down from

the outlook of a 7.5% rise seen in the previous quarter.

--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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