TOKYO, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- Japan's economy shrank an annualized real 1.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2010, marking the first contraction in five quarters, the Cabinet Office said Monday.$ w2 Z& K/ R* I
The October-December period figure, measured by gross domestic product, means a 0.3 percent fall from the previous three-month period.* k3 |6 K: k2 @) i. Z; T
The figures beat forecasts of an annualized 2.2 percent contraction and 0.6 percent quarterly decline in a Kyodo News survey.! J7 L8 L2 _, c4 c. L! k! Y
Japan's real GDP grew 3.9 percent in 2010. |