The manufacturing sector in Japan continued to expand in October, and at a faster pace, the latest survey from Jibun Bank showed on Monday with a Manufacturing PMI score of 53.2.
That's up from 51.5 in September and it moves further above the boom-or-bust line of 50 that separates expansion from contraction.
The improved headline index was partly due to a return to growth in output. Production volumes reversed the fall from the previous period, thought the increase was only marginal overall. Firms cited that output was boosted by the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, although growth continued to be hampered by ongoing raw material shortages.
Similarly, new orders returned to expansion territory in October following a reduction in September. The pace of growth was marginal however, and weaker than the average seen in the year to date. Higher sales were commonly linked to an increase in client demand as infection rates slowed, though this was dampened by sustained supply chain delays. New export sales also increased in October, with growth easing to a fractional pace.
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