The purchasing managers' index (PMI) for China’s manufacturing sector was at 49.4 percent in December last year, down 0.6 percentage points compared to November, according to China's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
In December, the production index for China's manufacturing sector was down 1.1 percentage points compared to November, decreasing to 50.8 percent, while the new order index for the sector declined by 0.7 percentage points compared to the previous month to 49.7 percent.
The raw material inventory index for China's manufacturing sector was at 47.1 percent in December, down 0.3 percentage points compared to the previous month.
Also in December, the employment index for China's manufacturing sector stood at 48.0 percent, down 0.3 percentage points, while the supplier delivery time index for the sector in question was at 50.4 percent, up 0.1 percentage point, both month on month.