Corporate profits are also showing signs of recovering. And enterprises' judgment on business conditions, though still in a severe situation, is towards improvement. The number of bankruptcy which has increased in a degree since early spring, stands, however, at a level substantially lower than a year ago, due mainly to the expansion of the Credit Guarantee. Severity increases in the employment situation. The unemployment ratio rose to an unprecedentedly high level with a decrease in the number of employees coupled with an increase in involuntary unemployment.
Exports are broadly stable while showing a recovery in shipments for Asia.
Imports are gradually increasing. As for the balance of payments, surpluses registered in the trade and service account balance remain almost at the same level. Reviewing the price movements, domestic wholesale prices recently appear to have hit the bottom of the downward trend, and consumer prices remain stable. Taking a look at the recent financial situations, short-term interest rates remained at the same level in July. Long-term interest rates remained almost unchanged in July.