TOKYO: Japan’s Nikkei 225 closed down 0.2% at 17,103.53 following a raft of official data that dented investor sentiment. Japan’s jobless rate rose slightly to 3.3% in February, up from 3.2% in January, despite labour demand remaining at the highest level in two decades.
The unemployment rate had been expected to remain unchanged at 3.2%. However, analysts said Japan could see a fall in the jobless rate in the coming months.
“[Japan’s] job-to-applicant suggests that the unemployment rate could fall below 3% in coming months even though the ratio held steady at 1.28 last month,” said economist Marcel Thieliant.