The purchasing managers' index (PMI) for China’s manufacturing sector was at 51.8 percent in March this year, up 0.2 percentage points compared to February, as announced by China's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on March 31.
In the given month, the production index for China's manufacturing sector was at 54.2 percent, up 0.5 percentage points month on month, while the overall new order index for the sector was at 53.3 percent, up 0.3 percentage points compared to the previous month. The raw material inventory index for China's manufacturing sector was at 48.3 percent in March, down 0.3 percentage points compared to the previous month. Also in March, the employment index for China's manufacturing sector stood at 50.0 percent, rising by 0.3 percentage points month on month, while the supplier delivery time index for the sector in question was at 50.3 percent, remaining above the 50 percent threshold.