Japan's factory activity growth slowed in June as China's strict COVID-19 curbs took a toll on manufacturing demand, even as service sector sentiment hit a nearly nine-year high on the fading pandemic drag. China's COVID-19 lockdowns have disrupted supply chains, heavily impacting trade-reliant economies such as Japan. The au Jibun Bank flash Japan Manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) slipped to a seasonally adjusted 52.7 in June from a final 53.3 in May, marking the slowest expansion since February when it also was 52.7. In April and May, the manufacturing PMI also grew at a slower rate than in the prior ... (full story)