The purchasing managers' index (PMI) for China’s manufacturing sector was at 49.5 percent in January of the current year, up 0.1 percentage point compared to December last year, according to China's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
In January, the production index for China's manufacturing sector was up 0.1 percentage point compared to December, rising to 50.9 percent, while the new order index for the sector declined by 0.1 percentage point compared to the previous month to 49.6 percent.
The raw material inventory index for China's manufacturing sector was at 48.1 percent in December, up 1.0 percentage point compared to the previous month.
Also in January, the employment index for China's manufacturing sector stood at 47.8 percent, down 0.2 percentage points, while the supplier delivery time index for the sector in question was at 50.1 percent, down 0.3 percentage points, both month on month.