Japan's tertiary activity declined in September after rising in the previous month, data from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry showed on Wednesday.
The seasonally adjusted tertiary activity index fell 0.4 percent month-on-month in September, after a 0.7 percent rise in August. Economists had forecast a 0.6 percent increase.
Among the individual components, the indexes for wholesale trade, medical, health care and welfare, transport and postal activities, finance and insurance, information and communications, business-related services, real estate, and good rental and leading decreased in September.
Meanwhile, the measures for living and amusement-related services, retail trade, and electricity, gas, heat supply and water increased.
On a yearly basis, the tertiary activity index increased 2.9 percent in September, after a 4.1 percent growth in the prior month.
