Japan factory output up 2.5%

Japan's industrial output rose 2.5 percent in December from the previous month for the first expansion in two months due to robust demand for automobiles and machinery, official data showed Thursday. The growth followed a 1.4 percent revised fall in November, according to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. The ministry upgraded its overall assessment of production of the world's third-biggest economy for the first time in 11 months, saying, "Industrial production has shown signs of halting declines." In the previous month, it said output was on a downward trend. According to the ministry, production of vehicles rose on the back of higher demand both in domestic and North American markets. Looking ahead, the ministry expects production will continue to climb in the coming months thanks to the weakening yen and economic recovery in other countries.