Business confidence among major Japanese manufacturers worsened to 7 in December from 8 three months earlier, the Bank of Japan said Wednesday.
The reading of the key index measuring confidence among companies such as those in the auto and electronics sectors worsened for the fourth straight quarter. The average market forecast in a Kyodo News survey was 6.
The index for large nonmanufacturers, including the service sector, rose to 19 from 14 in the previous survey.
