BOJ data shows loan demand increasing in January, companies and households

Data from the Bank of Japan's quarterly senior loan officer survey

Loan demand from

• companies rises to 4 in January from 2 three months ago
• from local governments improves to 0 from -2
• from households increases to 3 from 0

Earlier the trade data showed a sharp drop in exports

• Japan trade balance for December Y -55.3bn (expected Y -42.3bn)

More mixed signals from Japan

Yen is a touch weaker, not much in it though.