Chinese manufacturing rises in April but growth might slow

Two surveys show Chinese manufacturing expanded in April but growth appeared to be slowing after a rebound from the coronavirus pandemic

BEIJING -- Chinese manufacturing expanded in April but growth might be slowing after a rebound from the coronavirus pandemic, two surveys showed Friday. A monthly purchasing managers’ index issued by the business magazine Caixin rose to 51.9 on a 100-point scale from March’s 11-month low of 50.6 on a 100-point scale on which numbers above 100 show activity expanding. A separate survey released by the Chinese statistics agency and an industry group declined by 0.8 points to 51.1 but still was above the 50-point mark showing activity growing. A sub-index of production fell 1.7 points to 52.2. That suggests “growth momentum will wane this year,” Julians Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economics said in a report.