China’s official manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index inched up in September to 49.8 according to the National Bureau of Statistics from 49.5 in August.
The index has been below 50 for almost six months indicating activity was still cooling amid uncertainty caused by the protracted trade dispute between China and the US. The 50-point level separates contraction from expansion.
A sub index measuring total new orders received by manufacturers in China rebounded to above 50 in September, the first time the new order sub index showed an expansion since May.