This is the JAPAN flash manufacturing PMI – the China data is up at 0145GMT.

Markit/JMMA Manufacturing PMI for December, FLASH:

  • prior was 52.0
Japan flash PMI 16 December 2014

Amy Brownbill, Economist at Markit:

  • “Operating conditions in the Japanese manufacturing sector continued to improve in December, with new orders and output remaining in solid growth territory.
  • Furthermore, the pace of job creation accelerated to the fastest since April. Meanwhile, with the falling yen/dollar rate, input prices continued to rise at a sharp pace.
  • “The short-term outlook appears broadly positive, although there is some uncertainty with the December general elections taking place.”

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USD/JPY is very little changed on the release of a marginally better PMI on the month (for the flash, at any rate)