China manufacturing exercise picks up in September — official PMI nonetheless in contraction


A employee checks a completed automobile on the manufacturing line for electrical automobile maker Zeekr at its manufacturing facility on Could 29, 2025 in Ningbo, China.

Kevin Frayer | Getty Pictures Information | Getty Pictures

China’s official gauge for manufacturing exercise confirmed a smaller-than-expected contraction in September as Beijing intensified its efforts aimed toward curbing industrial overcapacity amid sluggish home demand and international commerce disruptions.

The Manufacturing Buying Managers’ Index got here in at 49.8, knowledge from the Nationwide Bureau of Statistics confirmed, in contrast with expectations for 49.6, in keeping with a Reuters ballot. That studying, whereas nonetheless in contraction, was the strongest since March.

China’s official manufacturing PMI has stayed under the 50-benchmark separating development from contraction since April as producers have grappled with tepid home demand, exacerbated by greater U.S. tariffs which have hit Beijing’s exports to the world’s largest shopper market.

Personal surveyor RatingDog’s manufacturing PMI got here in at 51.2 for September, beating economists’ forecast for 50.2 in a Reuters ballot, marking its highest degree since Could.

The official non-manufacturing PMI, which incorporates companies and building, edged decrease to 52.9 in September from 53 within the prior month, whereas the RatingDog common companies PMI eased to 50 from 50.3.

Personal surveys, beforehand performed by Caixin and S&P World, have painted a greater image than official polls over the earlier years as they’ve centered extra on export-oriented producers.

A gathering of China’s Politburo — composed of high-level members of the ruling Chinese language Communist Get together — in October is predicted to supply some indication on Beijing’s financial coverage plans in response to the slowdown within the third quarter, mentioned Zhiwei Zhang, president and chief economist at Pinpoint Asset Administration.

“Because the GDP development was above 5% in H1, the federal government might tolerate the slowdown in H2 so long as it does not jeopardize the total 12 months development goal of 5%,” Zhang added