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Japan's factory activity expands at strongest pace in 4 years, PMI shows
Japan's manufacturing activity expanded at its strongest pace in four years in April as firms boosted production over concerns about potential supply shortages due to rising tensions in the Middle East, a private-sector survey showed on Thursday. The S&P Global flash Japan Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) rose to 54.9 in April, the highest since January 2022, from 51.6 in March. The 50-mark separates growth from contraction. A key sub-index for factory output recorded the strongest increase since February 2014, driven by worries over future supply shortages linked to escalating tensions in the ... (full story)