Manufacturing PMI edges up

Alan Yang

The purchasing managers' index for China's manufacturing sector came in at 51.9 in March, up from 50.6 in February, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed on Wednesday, indicating a faster-than-expected recovery and soaring demand from the wider economy.



The bureau's figures show that PMI for large businesses was 52.7%, while it was 51.6% for medium-sized enterprises and 50.4% for small firms, all up from the February levels.



A reading above 50 indicates expansion, while a reading below reflects contraction. The index is a key barometer of the health of the nation's manufacturing sector.



The production subindex stood at 53.9 in March, up 2 percentage points from February, while the subindex for new orders rose to 53.6%, up 2.1 percentage points from last month, indicating a faster expansion of production and demand in the manufacturing sector, according to the bureau.