Japan Eco Watchers Index Falls To 50-month Low

(RTTNews) - A measure of the public assessment of the current situation of the Japanese economy weakened more-than-expected in April to the lowest level in more than four years, survey data from the Cabinet Office showed on Wednesday.

The current conditions index of the Economy Watchers' Survey dropped to 40.8 in April from 42.2 in March. Economists had forecast the index to fall to 41.6.

Moreover, this was the lowest reading since February 2022, when it was 37.7.

Household activity-related measures declined 1.2 points to 40.5 in April, and corporate-related activities also fell from 43.1 to 41.5.

Meanwhile, the economic outlook remained less pessimistic in April, with the index rising to 39.4 from 38.7 in the previous month.