Japan’s economy avoids recession by growing in last year’s final quarter, according to revised data WPXI [Video]

TOKYO — (AP) — Japan’s economy managed to grow in the fourth quarter of last year, averting a recession, according to revised government data released Monday that had previously shown a contraction.

Real gross domestic product, or GDP, grew in October-December at an annual pace of 0.4% instead of a contraction of 0.4%, according to the Cabinet Office.

Real GDP is a measure of the value of a nation’s products and services. The annual rate measures what would have happened if the quarterly rate lasted a year.

The revision reflects an improvement in private capital investment. It also means Japan avoided sinking into a technical recession, generally defined as two straight quarters of contraction.

The growth rate for the whole year stood unchanged at 1.9%. Japan’s economy grew 0.1% in the final quarter of last year from the previous quarter.

Expectations are mixed on what the latest data might mean …