China’s official gauge of manufacturing activity has stayed in contraction for a sixth consecutive month in September, providing more fuel for calls to step up government support amid persistent external headwinds and weak domestic demand.
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The manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) stood at 49.8 in September according to a Tuesday release from the National Bureau of Statistics, higher than August’s reading of 49.4 but falling short of a 50.1 projection from a survey of economists by financial data provider Wind.
The monthly index compiles survey data given by supply chain managers from a variety of sectors. A reading above 50 suggests economic expansion, while one below 50 indicates contraction.
The new orders sub-index – a measure of manufacturing demand – came in at 49.7 in September, compared to 49.5 a month earlier.
China’s non-manufacturing PMI, which measures activity in the construction and services sectors, dropped to 50 from 50.3 last month, the bureau’s data showed.
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