> Japan Retail sales for February +3.1% m/m (vs. expected 0.8%)

Japan Retail sales for February +3.1% m/m (vs. expected 0.8%)

Eamonn Sheridan

Monday, 29/03/2021 | 23:50 GMT

More Japanese data, this time its Retail sales for February

A big beat at +3.1% m/m

expected 0.8% m/m, prior -1.7%

-1.5 % y/y also a beat

expected -2.8% y/y, prior -2.4%

Japan was in the midst of a state of emergency in Tokyo and surrounds - despite this retail has performed strongly. The emergency declaration has since ended so logic would dictate the March figure will be strong also. I am not sure expecting logic from data is a reliable tactic though!