TOKYO (AFX-ASIA) - Industrial output in June fell 0.7 pct month-on-month after a fall of 1.2 pct in May, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said.
The ministry provided the following June month-on-month data, with comparative figures for May:
Output - down 0.7 pct vs down 1.2 pct
Shipments - up 0.1 pct vs flat
Inventories - down 0.6 pct vs up 0.8 pct

It also gave the following month-on-month industrial output forecasts:
July - down 2.3 pct
August - up 3.4 pct

Last month, METI forecast industrial output would rise 0.3 pct in June and fall 0.1 pct in July.
Private sector economists had forecast industrial output in June would come in at between a fall of 1.5 pct and a rise of 1.0 pct month-on-month, with consensus of a fall of 0.3 pct.