Growth in the country's services firms rose at its fastest pace in 10 months in December as demand picked up. The Nikkei/Markit Services Purchasing Managers' Index surged to 53.6 in December from November's 50.1, marking a sixth month above the 50-level that separates growth from contraction. This may provide some comfort to policy-makers after a related survey showed domestic factory activity contracted in December for the first time in more than two years on dwindling demand.