China’s factory activity slowest in 17 months
MANUFACTURING PMI EASES TO 50.4 IN JULY FROM 50.9 IN JUNE — ANALYSTS
China’s factory activity expanded in July at the slowest pace in 17 months as higher raw material costs, equipment maintenance and extreme weather weighed on business activity, adding to concerns about a slowdown in the world’s secondbiggest economy.
The official manufacturing Purchasing Manager’s Index (PMI) eased to 50.4 in July from 50.9 in June, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed yesterday, but remained above the 50-point mark that separates growth from contraction.
Analysts had expected it to slip to 50.8. It was the lowest figure since the index slumped to 35.7 in February 2020, after China began lockdowns to control the coronavirus pandemic.
An NBS official said in a statement the PMI’s subindex for production slipped to 51.0 from 51.9 in June, pointing to equipment maintenance and extreme weather. The new order subindex fell to 50.9, from 51.5, reflecting a slowdown in demand.
A subindex for raw material costs stood at 62.9 in July, compared with June’s 61.2, pointing to an increase in costs.
Shrinking profits
High raw material prices have eaten into the profitability of industrial firms and deterred some Chinese exporters from taking on orders.
Authorities are eager to prevent high factory-gate prices being passed on to consumers, which would only add to current economic headaches as underlying demand remains weak.
Hit by extreme weather, the construction index dropped to 57.5, from June’s 60.1, and analysts expect the sector to face headwinds amid Beijing’s clampdown on the property market.
To bolster a slowing economy, the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) in mid-July surprised the market by lowering the reserve requirement ratio (RRR) for banks, releasing around 1 trillion yuan ($154 billion) in longterm liquidity. Manufacturers are grappling with new challenges including higher raw material prices, surging logistics costs and global supply chain bottlenecks, and the pace of GDP growth is expected to be moderate.
Steel production
Record flooding in central China may have also weighed on business activity in July, along with government moves to curb steel production in line with a drive to reduce emissions.
The official non-manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) eased to 53.3 in July, from 53.5 in June, a separate survey from the NBS showed.