Japan Output Down 0.5%, Sales Rise 1.7%

Industrial production fell 0.5% month‑on‑month in March, missing a forecasted 1.0% increase and following a 2.1% February drop.
Retail sales grew 1.7% year‑on‑year in March, beating the 0.9% consensus and reversing a 0.1% decline in February.
The Bank of Japan kept its rate at 0.75%, but three board members dissented, signalling a growing hawkish bias amid inflation worries.
Manufacturers expect output to rise 2.1% in April and 2.2% in May, despite higher input costs and global tensions.