JAPAN DATA: Japan’s coincident composite index (CI), which
reflects current business conditions, appears to have risen about 1.4
points to 102.2 in November, posting the first gain in three months,
according to economists polled by Market News International. But the
Cabinet Office is expected to maintain its assessment based on the
November coincident CI, saying the index “shows Japan’s economy is
pausing.” The leading composite index, which measures the state of the
economy three months ahead, rose about 3.3 points to 101.0 in the month,
showing the first rise in five months, economists forecast. The Cabinet
Office will release the data at 1400 JST (0500 GMT) today.