Japan's industrial output up 3.2%

Japan's factory output rose 3.2 percent in July from the previous month, adding to signs that the country's production is on a recovery path, official data showed Friday. The expansion followed a revised 3.1 percent expansion in June, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said. In June, the index marked the sharpest month-on-month decline since March 2011. The ministry maintained its overall assessment of industrial production of the world's third-biggest economy, saying "It has shown signs of picking up at a moderate pace." Looking ahead, manufacturers polled by the ministry expect production will increase 0.2 percent in August and 1.7 percent in September, respectively. Also on Friday, the government said Japan's jobless rate fell by 0.1 percent from the previous month to 3.8 percent in July for the second straight monthly improvement.