The slowdown in China’s manufacturing sector stabilised in July, according to a private survey, although lingering concerns over the impact of the US-China trade dispute remained.
The Caixin China General Manufacturing PMI index, published on Thursday, rebounded to 49.9 during the month from 49.4 in June. It is the second month in a row that China’s manufacturing activity has shrunk, with any reading of below 50 representing a contraction. However,the figure was higher than the reading of 49.6 forecast by economists polled by Reuters.
China’s economy has been under pressure this year, with gross domestic product growth in the second quarter slumping to a near three-decade low. Exports from the country, the world’s second-biggest economy, have been hit by an ongoing trade war with the US.