The purchasing managers' index (PMI) for China’s manufacturing sector was at 50.1 percent in April of the current year, down 0.4 percentage points compared to March, according to China's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
In April, the production index for China's manufacturing sector was down 0.6 percentage points compared to March, decreasing to 52.1 percent, while the new order index for the sector decreased by 0.2 percentage points compared to the previous month to 51.4 percent.
The raw material inventory index for China's manufacturing sector was at 47.2 percent in April, down 1.2 percentage points compared to the previous month.
Also in April, the employment index for China's manufacturing sector stood at 47.2 percent, down 0.4 percentage points, while the supplier delivery time index for the sector in question was at 49.9 percent, declining by 0.3 percentage points, both month on month.