Japan final services PMI (December 2024 ): 50.9 (prior 50.5)

Jibun Bank / S&P Global PMIs from Japan for December 2024

Services: 50.9, strongest new business inflows in four months

• Flash reading was 51.4 (more on this preliminary reading is here)

• November was 50.5

More:

• Activity Growth: Modest expansion, supported by domestic demand, though export sales continued to decline.
• Employment: Payroll numbers increased for the 15th consecutive month, driven by business expansion efforts.
• Backlogs: Outstanding business rose for the second month due to higher demand.
• Inflation: Input and charge inflation remained high but stable, attributed to rising raw material and wage costs.
• Outlook: Businesses remained optimistic about 2025, though confidence was slightly below 2024’s average.

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Composite: 50.5, highest in three months

• Flash reading was 50.8
• November was 50.1

More:

• Services Growth: Mild expansion in services offset a softer contraction in manufacturing output.
• New Business: New orders increased, driven by gains in the service sector, though manufacturing saw a slight decline.
• Employment: Firms modestly increased staffing levels, supported by optimism for a broader economic recovery.
• Inflation: Input and output prices rose sharply, with prices charged increasing at the fastest pace since May.

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Meanwhile, USD/JPY has popped up a little:

This article was written by Eamonn Sheridan at www.forexlive.com.