The purchasing managers' index (PMI) for China’s manufacturing sector was at 50.5 percent in March of the current year, up 1.3 percentage points compared to February, according to China's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
In March, the production index for China's manufacturing sector was up 3.2 percentage points compared to February, increasing to 52.7 percent, while the new order index for the sector rose by 1.0 percentage point compared to the previous month to 51.6 percent.
The raw material inventory index for China's manufacturing sector was at 48.4 percent in March, up 2.1 percentage points compared to the previous month.
Also in March, the employment index for China's manufacturing sector stood at 47.6 percent, up 0.1 percentage point, while the supplier delivery time index for the sector in question was at 50.2 percent, up 0.4 percentage points, both month on month.