Published

Manufacturing Activity in China Cools

Preliminary figures for a closely watched index of manufacturing activity in China dropped to a three-month low in August, Bloomberg News reports.
#economics

Share

Preliminary figures for a closely watched index of manufacturing activity in China dropped to a three-month low in August, Bloomberg News reports.

Results raise worries that the country will fail to achieve the government's target of 7.5% growth in gross domestic product, the smallest gain since 1990.

A flash report of the Purchasing Managers' Index, produced by HSBC Holdings plc and London-based Markit Economics Ltd., fell from a two-year high of 51.7 in July to 50.3 this month. Any number above 50 indicates growth.

HSBC/Markit will issue final data on Sept. 1. A separate manufacturing index from the National Bureau of Statistics is due on the same date.

A Bloomberg poll of 52 economists finds a median estimate that China's GDP will grow 7.4% this year. But analysts say Beijing must introduce new, targeted stimulus measure to achieve that pace.

RELATED CONTENT

  • China and U.S. OEMs

    When Ford announced its 3rd quarter earning on October 24, the official announcement said, in part, “Company revenue was up 3 percent year over year, with net income and company adjusted EBIT both down year over year, primarily driven by continued challenges in China.” The previous day, perhaps as a preemptive move to answer the question “If things are going poorly in China, what are you doing about it?, Ford announced that it was establishing Ford China as a stand-alone business unit.

  • Enterprise Edges into Self-Driving Car Market

    U.S. rental car giant Enterprise Holdings Inc. is the latest company to venture into the world of self-driving vehicles.

  • Inside Ford

    On this edition of “Autoline After Hours” Joann Muller, Detroit bureau chief for Forbes, provides insights into what she’s learned about Ford, insights that are amplified on the show by our other panelists, Stephanie Brinley, principal analyst at IHS Markit who specializes in the auto industry, and Todd Lassa, Detroit Bureau Chief for Automobile.

Gardner Business Media - Strategic Business Solutions