News Summary

• Japan’s economy slowed in the second quarter of the year amid moribund consumption and capital spending, according to official figures.
• Gross domestic product (GDP) grew 0.3 percent in the April-June period from the first quarter.
• It was the third consecutive expansion but was down from 0.5 percent growth in the previous quarter.
• The weaker-than-expected growth figures could complicate the Bank of Japan's upcoming decision on interest rates, as it pushes ahead with normalising monetary policy.