Japan GDP dips 0.1 percent

TOKYO, Feb. 15 (UPI) -- Japan's GDP for the latest quarter dipped by 0.1 percent, the government officials reported.

The decline in growth rate from October to December marked the third quarterly decline, Japan's Cabinet Office said. Analysts also said the GDP was weaker than expected, as the market consensus had been for a 0.1 percent increase from the previous quarter.

Consumer spending, which accounts for the majority of GDP, remained sluggish and offset the continued increase in capital spending by businesses, the government reported.