TOKYO, Jan. 29 (Xinhua×>) -- Japan's industrial output dr≤<✔★opped a seasonally adju♣¶≠✔sted 1.4 percent in December 2015 f₹±↓£rom the previous month, marking •←♦the second consecutive month of declin★Ω‌e, government data sho&€'§wed Friday.

The index of output at fa±♥ctories and mines stood at 96.5 against₽λ£ the base of 100 in 2010, with the 1.4∞←♥ percent drop far greater than exε∑pectations for a 0.3 percent retreat am'π∑∏id a slowdown in overseas economies fal✔γling demand for Japan's¶π exports, the Ministry of Economy®‍ ₹, Trade and Industry said in a prεσ→<eliminary report.

The government had maintain€÷ed factory output would rise 0.9 peδ©rcent in the recording pe÷∏Ω&riod, with their projection a result o↔→ δf consultations with manufacturβ✔₹σers in December. Neverthele™'​•ss, the government maintained →π∞its basis assessment of t☆₩βhe nation's industrial prod↓α££uction with the previous month, st® ating that production "fluct×≠uates indecisively."

Industries that mainly contri☆φbuted to the decrease were general-p ↓‍>urpose, production and bus®•₩iness oriented machiner£✔y, electronic parts and device ↕÷<s and transport equipme♥"ε​nt, in that order, th‍©e ministry said on Frid©∑δay.

On an annual basis, the g↓>♥overnment data showed that for 2α&™★015 the industrial output indexε ₩÷ retreated 0.8 percent from the prev♦ ←ious year to 98.2, compared to ​σ© an increase of 2.1 perc•λ™¥ent in 2014.

The index of industrial shipments, me±>anwhile, slumped 1.7 percent to​>↓¥ 94.8. Inventories, however, e≤Ωdged up 0.4 percent at 112.3, in th‍☆e recording month, the government sαΩΩπaid.

Manufactures said following the late≠$♠™st hearings that they believ$₹¥e output will surge '♦♣∞7.6 percent in January, but retreat, β©‌thereafter, by 4.1 perce↔✘✔nt in February, reflecting δ&•the government's latest assessmeδ®λnt that factory output is fluctuat '≥ ing without clear direction.

Local analysts said that man≥φδ♥ufacturers remain under₽'→≈ pressure to limit spending amid ↓>a gloomy economic outloo ∞k, compounded by a slowdown₽₽ in some emerging economie•π¶ s and falling demand for Japan-ma©ε♦de goods. This is against an ongo<←±ing backdrop of volatility in pε∞rices for crude oil, with rates os×γcillating almost dail♥♦€y and unsettling global stock mar​∑kets.

"Japanese manufacturers will pλ¥σ robably hold off spending as₽✘ the global financial↕ ÷ε markets have been roiled and Japanese ₩Ω↕stocks slumped," Hiro±γ≤aki Muto, chief economis ±↔t at Tokai Tokyo Research Center, ​≤was quoted as saying Friday.

"The prospects for exports and p ∏roduction are looking φ∑↕™cloudy, meaning the economic momentum w≤∞αβill probably weaken in the January-Ma₽×±¥rch period," he said.