URGENT: Big manufacturers' sentiment improves to 14 in June: BOJ

Business sentiment among major Japanese manufacturers improved to 14 in June from 5 three months earlier, the Bank of Japan's quarterly Tankan survey showed Thursday. The key index measuring confidence among companies such as automobile and electronics makers rose for the fourth straight quarter. The result compares with the average market forecast of 17 in a Kyodo News survey. The index for large nonmanufacturers, including the service sector, rose to 1 from minus 1 in the March survey. It turned positive for the first time in five quarters.