TOKYO, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Japan's core private-sector machinery orders gained a seasonally adjusted 9.3 percent in November from the previous month to 882.6 billion yen (about 8.44 billion U.S. dollars), the Japanese government said Thursday.
The orders, widely regarded as a leading indicator of capital spending, increased for the second straight month. The index reached its highest level since July 2008, signaling many companies are eager to bolster investment ahead of a planned sales tax hike, according to the Cabinet Office.
The government also upgraded its basic assessment, saying orders are "on a growth trend." Last month, it said the orders " have shown signs of moderately growing."
In the reporting period, orders from the manufacturing sector gained 6.0 percent on month to 353.7 billion yen, up for the first time in two months, while those from nonmanufacturers climbed for the second straight month, up 8.1 percent to 550.6 billion yen.
Overseas demand for overall Japanese machinery, an indicator of future exports, soared 12.2 percent to 775.0 billion yen, following a 16.0 percent dive in October and a 12.1 percent rise in September, the office said.
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