China factory activity tops expectations in April — but growth slows as new orders soften
Rising input costs from higher energy prices kept factory margins under pressure, while new export orders reached a two-year high, the NBS said.
- A Reuters poll of 27 economists forecasts China's official manufacturing purchasing managers' index will drop to 50.1 from 50.4 in March, as rising cost pressures from the Middle East conflict test Beijing's reliance on manufacturing growth.
- Conflict in the Middle East has created inflationary pressure that threatens expansion, with ANZ analysts warning this cost-driven inflation is 'not friendly to the economy' because it lacks support from stronger consumer demand.
- According to the National Bureau of Statistics , major industrial firms saw profits rise 15.5% year-on-year in the first quarter, driven by rapid expansion in high-tech manufacturing and equipment sectors.
- Gross domestic product grew 5% in the first three months of 2026, hitting the upper range of Beijing's annual target, while the central bank kept benchmark loan prime rates unchanged for the 11th consecutive month.
- Credit ratings agency Moody's revised China's outlook to 'stable' from 'negative' on Monday, citing resilient fiscal strength, though Beijing officials warned earlier this week that the economy faces persistent difficulties despite a strong start to 2026.
30 Articles
30 Articles
China's manufacturing PMI continues expansion in April
China's manufacturing sector showed resilience in April. Official data released on Thursday by the National Bureau of Statistics put the purchasing managers' index for manufacturing at 50.3, down 0.1 points from March, suggesting overall factory activity remains on stable footing.
Hong Kong Free Press
Free Malaysia Today NewsChina’s April factory activity expands despite Middle East war
China’s factory activity grew for a second straight month in April, official data showed Thursday, showing resilience despite surging energy prices and shipping disruption caused by the war in the Middle East. This picture shows cars made by MG on a dock before being loaded onto a ship for export at the port in Lianyungang, in Chinas eastern Jiangsu province on April 29, 2026. Photo: CN-STR/AFP/China OUT. The manufacturing purchasing manager’s …
Amid soaring energy prices and ongoing disruptions in the supply of raw materials due to the aftermath of the war in Iran, China's April manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) maintained expansion for the second consecutive month, reaffirming the strength of its economic recovery. However, as the non-manufacturing sector turned into a contraction phase and the composite PMI declined, the intensity of the recovery is assessed as still lim…
Chinese Exporters Thrive Despite War But Domestic Demand Wobbles
(Bloomberg) — Chinese construction activity suffered its biggest slump since the early stages of the Covid pandemic and the services sector fell back into contraction, even as exports kept factories humming despite the disruptions caused by the war in Iran.
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