JAPAN DATA: Domestic TV shipments rose 29.4% y/y to 1.439 million
units in January, with the pace of growth decelerating from +62.0% in
December, +160.0% in November and +144.8% in October, the Japan
Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association said.
January shipments were the lowest since 1.258 million units marked in
May 2010. Many shoppers rushed to retail stores before Dec. 1, when the
government slashed the reward points it offers for buying TVs, air
conditioners/heaters and refrigerators that require less power to
operate. This caused a pullback in demand for consumer electronics in
December and January.