Japanese business sentiment in Asia up

Japanese business sentiment in Asia up

Business sentiment indicators for Japanese firms operating in Asia were positive in August, the government-backed Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) said on Thursday.

Responses from Japanese firms operating in South China, East China, Taiwan, Thailand and Malaysia in August were relatively high at 33.0, 30.9, 29.0, 23.8 and 21.0, respectively.

The index results for all other regions - North China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and the Philippines - were also positive at 15.8, 11.9, 11.5, and 7.7, respectively.

The index for Indonesia turned to positive 5.8 in August. Last month, the index for Japanese firms operating in Indonesia was negative 6.5.

The monthly survey measures year-on-year changes in the outlook of Japanese firms for the current month and the next two to three.

Industries that have improved significantly since July were Malaysia's transportation machinery at 63.6 from 30.8, and Indonesia's electric and electronic machinery at 42.1 from last month's 11.8, JETRO said.

JETRO asks firms to compare earning prospects, supply and demand, inventory, sales prices and accounts receivable with the same period the year previous.

Replies are limited to better, the same, or worse than a year earlier. The index totals the difference between positive and negative responses. -- dpa