What was the quarterly change in Japan's capital expenditure excluding software for the three months through March, and how did it differ between manufacturers and non-manufacturers?

Capital expenditure excluding software fell 3.5% from the previous quarter in the three months through March. Spending by non-manufacturers fell 5.1% on quarter, while investment at manufacturers slipped 0.3%.

How did corporate profits and sales perform year-on-year in the same period, and which industries saw the most dramatic profit growth?

Current profits rose 14.6% year-on-year, and sales edged up 1.1% year-on-year. Profits surged 175% year-on-year at information and communication electronics equipment makers and soared 709% at petroleum and coal products firms; ordinary profits rose across all industries except business-oriented machinery, setting a record for the quarter at manufacturers.

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