Reuters Tankan: Japan manufacturers sentiment at its lowest since October 2016

The Reuters Tankan is a monthly survey, ahead of the BOJ's quarterly of the same name (due April 1).

Headlines via Reuters:

March manufacturers' sentiment index +10 vs Feb +13

• Service-sector index +22, unchanged from Feb
• Business sentiment seen inching up ahead
• Reuters Tankan points to worsening BOJ tankan

The manufacturing index back to its lowest since Oct 2016

• confidence fell for a fifth straight month

"Our clients are turning cautions on capital expenditure due to the U.S.-China trade war, spreading protectionism and political jitters in emerging countries," a manager of a machinery maker wrote in the survey.

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Reuters poll of 479 large- and mid-sized companies

• completed by 250 firms
• over the March 4-15