Japan manufacturers’ business mood gloomiest in nearly seven years

By Leika Kihara and Kaori Kaneko TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese big manufacturers' business mood was at its bleakest in nearly seven years in the fourth quarter, a closely watched central bank survey showed, as the U.S.-China trade war and soft global demand weighed on the export-reliant economy. Non-manufacturers' business sentiment also worsened, according to the Bank of Japan's "tankan" quarterly survey released on Friday, as an increase in the domestic sales tax from October took a toll on consumption. The glum readings will likely keep the BOJ under pressure to maintain or even ramp up its massive stimulus programme to fend off the risk of another recession.

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