China’s factory activity declined for a third straight month in June and weakness in other sectors deepened, official surveys showed on Friday, adding pressure for authorities to do more to shore up growth as demand falters at home and abroad, reports Reuters. The world’s second-largest economy grew faster than expected in the first quarter largely due to a strong post-COVID rebound in consumption, but policymakers have been unable to sustain the momentum in the second quarter.
Services sector activity for June also recorded its weakest reading since China abandoned its strict COVID curbs late last year, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed.
The official manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) inched up to 49.0 from 48.8 in May, staying below the 50-point mark that separates expansion from contraction and in line with forecasts. The NBS’ separate services index dropped to 52.8 from 53.8 in May, its lowest since December when China scrapped strict COVID curbs.
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