The Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for China’s manufacturing sector came in at 49.1 in August, official data showed on Saturday.
According to Zhao Qinghe, a senior statistician at the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the reading decreased slightly from 49.4 the previous month due to the ongoing effects of a heat wave and rainstorms on the country’s manufacturing activity.
Zhao also noted that the manufacturing sector was affected by the onset of the off-season for some industries.
A reading above 50 indicates expansion, while a reading below 50 reflects contraction.
The sub-indices for production and new orders both dipped in August, but those for high-tech manufacturing and equipment manufacturing climbed to rise above the boom-bust line of 50, according to the NBS.