This Reuters Tankan is suggesting a slight improvement in the BOJ Tankan for Q1 of 2018
- March manufacturers' sentiment index +28 vs +29 in February (up 1 point from December, i.e. +1 q/q)
- Service-sector index +35 in March vs +33 in February (up 1 point from December)
- service sector hit a three-year high
Outlook for the next 3 months from Reuters survey is for a small decline:
- June manufacturing index seen at +25, non-man seen at +29
"The yen's gains and declines in share prices may affect business with a lag, but so far they have not had much impact," a manager of an electrical appliance maker wrote in the survey on condition of anonymity. "We are receiving solid inquiries about capital expenditure from our client manufacturers, with outstanding orders remaining elevated," the manager added
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Reuters poll of 542 large- and mid-sized companies
- 261 firms responded
- conducted March 1-15
- indexes are calculated by subtracting the percentage of pessimistic respondents from optimistic ones; a positive figure means optimists outnumber pessimists
The Reuters Tankan is a monthly report and gives a guide to business confidence and a heads up to what to expect from the quarterly Bank of Japan Tankan.
- The most recent BOJ Tankan was for the December 2017 quarter.
- The March quarter BOJ Tankan is due on April 2nd with more detail to follow on the 3rd
