Japan's core machinery orders raise 2.8 pct in December
Japan's core private-sector machinery orders increased a seasonally adjusted 2.8 percent in December 2012, the Cabinet Office said Thursday.
The number rose to 752.9 billion yen from November 2012, for the third consecutive month.
In December, orders from the manufacturing sectors climbed 3.0 percent to 295.7 billion yen, while those from non-manufacturers declined 8.0 percent to 437.6 billion yen.
Higher stock prices and the weaker yen improved business sentiment and prompted more companies to boost investment, the government said.
Core orders are widely seen as an indicator for future corporate capital spending.
