Japan industrial output rises 2.0% in January

Japan's industrial production posted its strongest rise in 11 months in December on the back of improving global demand for the nation's goods, data showed Monday, in more evidence of recovery from a recent lull.Japan's industrial output jumped 3.1 percent in December from the previous month, marking a second straight monthly rise and beating forecasts of a 2.9 percent rise.The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry upgraded its view of production, saying it was "showing signs of an upward movement" compared with the previous month's report that said output remained weak.

Japan's industrial output slipped for a third consecutive month in August, official data showed Thursday, indicating that a fragile export-led recovery is continuing to lose steam.Output fell 0.3 percent in August, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said, the figure missing expectations of a 1.1 percent rise."Industrial production is flat and is likely to be weak," it said, adding that the general machinery sector and iron and steel production were the main contributors to the monthly decrease.

Japanese factories boosted output in September, data showed Wednesday, reversing a slide the previous month and supplying more evidence the world's third-largest economy is gathering steam.Industrial production rose 1.5 percent in September from the previous month after a 0.9 percent decline in August."Industrial production continues to show an upward movement," the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said, referring to a general positive trend in factory output in recent months.

Japan's factory output tumbled 3.1 percent in May, official data showed Friday, a bigger-than-expected drop as a slump overseas hurt exports but other figures pointed to a healthier picture at home. The output decline comes amid growing fears about the fiscal situation in Europe -- a major market for Japanese products -- and a strong yen hurting Japan, the world's third-largest economy.A survey of economists polled by Dow Jones Newswires showed expectations for a 2.8 percent fall in industrial production in May.

Japan's industrial output rose for a third straight month in January on stronger overseas demand, but the pace was slower than expected and high energy costs amid the Mideast crisis spell fresh risks.Factory production rose 2.4 percent month on month, according to the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry, supported by carmakers and semiconductor-manufacturing devices.Although it represents the third gain in a row the figure was down from December's surprise 3.3 percent jump and also off the 3.8 percent predicted in a survey by the Nikkei business daily.

Marc Chandler submits:In recent weeks several investment houses and observers have suggested the attractiveness of Japanese shares. The question now, as is often the case, is what came first, the upgraded assessments or the flows? The fact of the matter is that, drawing from MOF data, foreign investors have been net buyers of Japanese shares for nine consecutive weeks through last week.

The report on employment released today was not good news but it was less bad than feared. Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 117,000 in July, and the unemployment rate was little changed at 9.1%, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment growth in July, follows little growth over the prior 2 months. Total private employment rose by 154,000 over the month. Sectors experiencing growth include: health care, retail trade, manufacturing, and mining. Government employment continued to trend down.