The purchasing managers' index (PMI) for China’s manufacturing sector was at 51.4 percent in December last year, down 0.3 percentage points compared to November, as announced by China's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on January 1.
In the given month, the production index for China's manufacturing sector was at 53.3 percent, down 0.6 percentage points month on month, while the overall new order index for the sector was at 53.2 percent, remaining stable compared to the previous month. The raw material inventory index for China's manufacturing sector was at 48.0 percent in December, down 0.4 percentage points compared to the previous month. Also in December, the employment index for China's manufacturing sector stood at 48.9 percent, decreasing by 0.3 percentage points month on month, while the supplier delivery time index for the sector in question was at 50.0 percent, rising to the 50 percent threshold.