JAPAN DATA: Sentiment among small businesses showed the largest
month-on-month drop on record in April, hit by the March 11 earthquake
disaster, monthly data released by Shoko Chukin Bank showed. The
business sentiment index for small firms stood at 36.1 in April, down
13.4 points from March. The April index reading was the lowest since
34.1 in May 2009. The statistics can date to January 1985. The bank
surveyed 995 small businesses in the first 10 days of April.