TOKYO (dpa-AFX) - Japan's private sector growth moderated in April as the slower rise in services activity offset a rebound in manufacturing output, flash survey data from S&P Global showed Thursday.
The flash composite output index fell to 52.4 in April from 53.0 in March.
Overall private sector activity expanded in each of the past 13 months but the latest reading signaled the slowest growth in four months.
Underlying data pointed to divergent trends, with activity across the service sector rising at a soft rate that was the slowest in 11 months, while manufacturing production rising at the steepest rate since February 2014.
The services Purchasing Managers' Index fell to 51.2 from 53.4 in the previous month. Meanwhile, the factory PMI rose to 54.9 from 51.6 a month ago.
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