Inflation in Japan was flat on year in September, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said on Friday.
That matched expectations while slowing from 0.2 percent in August.
Core inflation, which excludes the volatile costs of food prices, was down 0.1 percent on year. That was unchanged but beat forecasts for a decline of 0.2 percent.
Among the individual components, prices for food and recreation both climbed 2.2 percent on year, followed by furniture (1.8 percent), clothing (1.7 percent), education (1.5 percent) and medical care (0.6 percent).
Housing prices were flat, while fuel costs tumbled 7.1 percent.
On a monthly basis, overall inflation added 0.1 percent while core inflation was flat.
Individually, prices for clothing spiked 6.0 percent on month, followed by food (0.7 percent) and furniture and education (0.1 percent each).
Fuel costs were down 1.6 percent on month and communications costs fell 1.0 percent.
Overall consumer prices for the Tokyo region, considered a leading indicator for the nationwide trend, added 0.1 percent on year in October. That beat expectations for a flat reading following the 0.1 percent decline in September.
Core CPI dipped an annual 0.2 percent – unchanged and in line with forecasts.
Individually, prices for food climbed 3.0 percent on year in October, followed by recreation (1.5 percent) and furniture and clothing (both 0.9 percent).
Fuel prices plummeted an annual 9.4 percent and communications costs fell 1.6 percent.
On a monthly basis, overall Tokyo inflation and core CPI both added 0.1 percent.
Individually, clothing costs climbed 1.2 percent on month, followed by recreation (0.5 percent) and food (0.2 percent).
Fuel prices dipped 0.6 percent and medical care and communications both dipped 0.2 percent.
Also on Friday, the ministry said:
. The average of household spending in Japan was down 0.4 percent on year in September, coming in at 274,309 yen. That missed forecasts for an increase of 1.2 percent following the 2.9 percent jump in August.
The average of monthly income per household stood at 415,467 yen, down 1.6 percent on year, the ministry said, while the average of consumption expenditures per household was 298,733 yen, down an annual 1.7 percent.
. The unemployment rate in Japan came in at a seasonally adjusted 3.4 percent in September, unchanged and in line with expectations.
The job-to-applicant ratio was 1.24, also matching forecasts and up from 1.23 in August. The participation rate climbed to 60.2 percent, up from 59.6 in the previous month.
The number of employed persons in September was 64.39 million, an increase of 370,000 or 0.6 percent on year. The number of unemployed persons in September was 2.27 million, down 60,000 or 2.6 percent on year.
The material has been provided by InstaForex Company – www.instaforex.com