Japan’s producer prices logs biggest monthly drop since April, remain weaker than estimates

Producer prices in Japan logged the biggest monthly drop since the month of April, recording the smallest annual contraction in six months. Moreover, prices remained weaker than what markets had initially anticipated.

Producer prices in Japan were down 0.3 percent on month in August, data released by the Bank of Japan showed Monday, depriving forecasts for a decline of 0.1 percent following the flat reading in July.

Further, on a yearly basis, producer prices skidded 3.6 percent versus expectations for 3.4 percent after dropping 3.9 percent in the previous month. Export prices were up 0.1 percent on month and down 2.6 percent on year, the bank said, while import prices fell 0.6 percent on month and 9.9 percent on-year.

However, the Japanese yen remained relatively unchanged by the release of both PPI as well as core machinery orders data, trading flat at 102.62 against the greenback on Monday.