MNI DATA IMPACT: Japan Jan Retail Sales Recovered; -0.4% Y/Y

     TOKYO (MNI) - Japan's retail sales edged up in the first month of 2020,

recovering from the impact of tax hikes in the last two months of 2019, data

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

     Here are the key points from the latest retail sales data:

     --Retail sales are still lower on a year on year basis, falling 0.4%

year-on-year in January and improving from the 2.6% y/y drop recorded in

December. The decline was the smallest monthly fall since last October.  

     --General merchandise sales dropped 3.4% y/y, slower than the previous

month's 5.1% y/y fall. Sales for machinery and equipment bounced back quickly to

-2.9% y/y from the previous 11.1% y/y decline.

     --Fuel sales rose slightly 0.3% y/y, compared with December's 3.3% y/y

fall. Sales of food and beverages climbed 0.8% y/y, wiping off the 0.2% y/y

decrease recorded last month. Sales of fabric apparels and accessories eased to

a 1.2% y/y fall, compared with last month's -6.4% y/y drop.

     --On a monthly basis, retail sales were up 0.6% in January, faster than the

0.2% monthly gain in December.

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

--MNI Sydney Bureau; +61 405322399; email: lachlan.colquhoun.ext@marketnews.com

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