Japan's factory output up 2.6 percent in November

TOKYO: Japan's factory output rose by 2.6 percent in November, marking a ninth straight monthly gain, official data showed Monday.

The rise extended the longest unbroken expansion since a 12-month climb to March 1997 and was slightly above a market forecast of about 2.5 percent.

Industrial production is expected to rise 3.4 percent in December and by a further 1.3 percent in January, according to manufacturers' own forecasts, the government said.

Compared with a year earlier, November industrial output was down 3.9 percent, showing production at Japan's plants and factories was recovering but is yet to return to levels seen before the global economic downturn began.

Shipments increased 0.9 percent from October but were down 3.1 percent from a year earlier. Inventory stockpiles edged up by 0.2 percent on month but were down 14.6 percent year-on-year.