China's factory activity unexpectedly declined to hit the contraction zone again in April due to lower-than-expected demand, marking the first contraction since December 2022, according to the latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics.
The official manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) stood at 49.2 in April, down from 51.9 in March, NBS data showed. The 50-mark separates expansion from contraction in activities.
Subindex for new orders fell significantly to 48.8 in April from 53.6 in March and that for new export orders down to 47.6 from 50.4, the data showed.
The official non-manufacturing PMI, which measures business sentiment in the services and construction sectors, shrunk to 56.4 in April, down 1.8 month on month.
The official composite PMI, which includes both manufacturing and services activity, fell to 54.4 in April, down by 2.6 month on month.
(Writing by Emma Yang Editing by Harry Huo)
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