The HSBC purchasing managers' index (PMI) for the Chinese manufacturing sector increased to a final reading of 49.4 in May, announced by the HSBC. The reading constituted the highest level in the latest four months, but has still remained below 50 for the fifth consecutive month. In April, the final reading of the HSBC manufacturing PMI for China was at 48.1. In May, the sub-index for new export orders rose to a forty nine-month high of 53.2, above 50 again.
Meanwhile, according to China's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the purchasing managers' index (PMI) for China's manufacturing sector was at 50.8 percent in May of the current year.