Japan’s leading economic index, which gauges the outlook for the coming months based on indicators such as job offers and consumer sentiment, rose to 110.0 in October 2025 from a downwardly revised 108.2 in September, preliminary estimates showed. The latest reading is the highest since May 2024 and exceeds market forecasts of 109.3, supported by consumer confidence, which rose to its highest level in 19 months in October. Meanwhile, employment reached a record high, despite the unemployment rate remaining steady at 2.6% in September.