MNI BRIEF: China March Mfg. PMI Returns To Expansion
China's manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index jumped by 1.7 points to 50.8 in March, expanding above the breakeven 50 level for the first time in six months, as manufacturers quickly resumed production after the Chinese New Year, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed Sunday.
Both the production and new orders sub-index rose by 2.4 and 4.0 points to 52.2 and 53.0. External demand also recovered with the new export orders and import sub-index up 5.0 and 4.0 points to 51.3 and 50.4.
Non-manufacturing PMI registered 53.0, rising from last month's 51.4. The business activity index in the service sector increased by 1.4 points to 52.4, with production-related telecommunications and financial services standing above 60.0 but catering and real estate below the 50 threshold, the NBS said.