TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The key gauge of the current state of Japan's economy fell 2.6 points in January from the previous month, the government said Tuesday.
The composite index, or CI, of coincident economic indicators stood at 89.6 against the year 2005 base of 100, the Cabinet Office said in a preliminary report.
The CI consists of various indicators including industrial production, large-lot electricity use, overtime work hours at manufacturers, wholesale and retail sales, and the ratio of job offers to job seekers.
The index of leading indicators, which predicts developments over several months, came to 77.1, down 2.3 points. The index of lagging indicators, which measures economic performance in the recent past, stood at 92.1, down 1.2 points.