Xinhua recently reported that, according to official numbers released by the National Bureau of Statistics, China’s October manufacturing PMI fell to 49.2 percent. Affected by the frequent domestic spread of Covid, China’s purchasing manager index has declined and the foundation for the economic recovery and development needs to be further strengthened. Statistics show that both production and demand have slowed down. The production index and the new order index were 49.6 percent and 48.1 percent respectively, down 1.9 and 1.7 percentage points from the previous month. The prosperity of manufacturing production and of market demand both declined as well. Large corporations have kept expanding, while the pressure on small and medium-sized enterprises has increased.
At the same time, Caixin released its official Chinese Manufacturing PMI numbers for October. Caixin‘s PMI is a well-respected economic indicator monitored globally by financial institutions. Caixin’s China Manufacturing PMI recorded at 49.2 for October. It was thus in contraction territory for the third consecutive month, indicating that manufacturing figures continued to decline. The demand side of consumer goods and investment goods has been particularly insufficient. International demand also continued to decline. Some companies reported that foreign trade transportation has been encountering difficulties. Employment continues to shrink, and the purchasing price index of manufacturing companies has risen by more than three percent since September. Due to the sluggish market demand, companies have shown a strong willingness to reduce prices to promote better sales. Most companies reported that the government’s Covid control policies have caused transportation delays.
Sources:
(1) Xinhua, October 31, 2022
http://www.news.cn/fortune/2022-10/31/c_1129089205.htm
(2) Caixin, November 1, 2022
https://pmi.caixin.com/2022-11-01/101958657.html