RTTNews reports that the latest survey from Jibun Bank showed that the manufacturing sector in Japan continued to expand in June, with a manufacturing PMI score of 51.5. That's down from 53.0 in May, although it remains above the 50 that separates expansion from contraction.

This was the weakest reading of the headline Index for four months. This came as output levels declined for the first time since January and at the quickest pace seen since November 2020, while growth in new orders softened to a marginal pace. Positively, job creation continued for the third consecutive month, with the rate of growth picking up slightly to reach the fastest since January 2020. Firms also remained confident that activity would increase over the next 12 months, however optimism dipped to a three-month low in June.