China's official manufacturing purchasing managers' index fell to 49.3 in October from 50.1 in September, the National Bureau of Statistics said Saturday, Oct. 31, dropping back below the 50 line that separates growth from contraction.
Both the production gauge (49.8) and new orders (49.4) weakened, and new export orders also shrank.
Large manufacturers held at 50.2 while small firms sank to 47.5.
Softer Chinese demand is a watch point for commodities, U.S. exporters and China-exposed stocks like $FXI.
Reported from AP News. Site-only brief: it was not posted on X.
