Capital Market News The average of household spending in Japan was down 1.3 percent on year in December, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications reported. On a monthly basis, household spending slipped 2.1 percent - again shy of expectations for a gain of 0.3 percent following the 0.9 percent decline a month earlier. The average of monthly income per household stood at 1,150,808 yen, down 0.4 percent on year. Overall wages were up 4.8 percent in December, while overtime pay increased 3 percent.