China’s non-manufacturing PMI drops

Beijing, July 3 (IANS) The purchasing managers’ index (PMI) for China’s non-manufacturing sector stood at 53.9 percent in June, down from 54.3 percent in May, according to official data released Wednesday.

A PMI reading above 50 percent indicates expansion, while a reading below 50 percent indicates contraction.

The statistics were jointly released by the National Bureau of Statistics and the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP), reported Xinhua.

The CFLP attributed the slight fall to slower growth in construction activity, which has been affected by seasonal factors, including higher temperatures and rainy weather.

The PMI for the construction sector dropped 2.9 percentage points to 59.3 percent in June, according to the CFLP statement.

In the service sector, the sub-indices for business activity and new orders both ended two consecutive monthly decreases, rising to 52.6 percent and 49.9 percent, respectively.

Service industries, including express mail service, Internet information, telecommunications, environmental protection and public facilities management, all recorded a business activity PMI of more than 58 percent in June, according to Cai Jin, vice chairman of CFLP.

An increasingly active service sector accounted for the steady growth in June’s non-manufacturing activity and is an example of the positive effects of China’s economic restructuring, the federation said in the statement.

The sub-index for employment in the non-manufacturing sector moved up to 51.5 percent in June, staying above 51 percent for a third straight month.

The index for June’s new orders edged up 0.2 percentage points from a month earlier to 50.3 percent, while the figure for new export orders crossed the demarcation line by gaining 1.3 percentage points to 50.4 percent.

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