TOKYO – Panasonic is reporting a 378.96 billion yen ($4 billion) loss for the fiscal year ended March.

The Japanese electronics giant says the global economic slump sapped revenue 14.4 percent to 7.77 trillion yen.

It expects to stay in the red this year, forecasting a 195 billion yen loss for the 12 months through March 2010.

Osaka-based Panasonic Corp. is the latest among a score of bellwether brands in Japan releasing grim annual results. On Thursday, Sony Corp. said it lost $1 billion yen last fiscal year.