Japan Leading Index Confirmed at 19-Month Peak

2026-02-26 05:12 By Farida Husna 1 min. read

Japan’s leading economic index, which measures the outlook for the months ahead based on indicators such as job offers and consumer sentiment, rose to 111.0 in December 2025, higher than a preliminary reading of 110.2 and November's print of 109.9.

It was the highest figure since May 2024, as labor market conditions improved modestly, with the jobs-to-applicants ratio edging up to 1.19 after hovering near a three-year low during October and November.

However, consumer sentiment weakened in December after previously climbing to a 19-month high, reflecting persistent cost pressures and still-elevated borrowing costs.



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Japan Leading Index Confirmed at 19-Month Peak
Japan’s leading economic index, which measures the outlook for the months ahead based on indicators such as job offers and consumer sentiment, rose to 111.0 in December 2025, higher than a preliminary reading of 110.2 and November's print of 109.9. It was the highest figure since May 2024, as labor market conditions improved modestly, with the jobs-to-applicants ratio edging up to 1.19 after hovering near a three-year low during October and November. However, consumer sentiment weakened in December after previously climbing to a 19-month high, reflecting persistent cost pressures and still-elevated borrowing costs.
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