Japan's factory activity shrinks at a slower pace, PMI shows

TOKYO, Japan: Japan's manufacturing sector showed signs of improvement in December, with factory activity contracting at a slower pace compared to previous months, according to a private-sector survey.

The final au Jibun Bank Japan manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) increased to 49.6 in December, marking the softest contraction in three months. This reading was slightly above the 49.5 flash estimate