2011-3-2
China's official Purchasing Managers Index fell to 52.2 in February from 52.9 in January, the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing, which issues the data with the National Bureau of Statistics, said Tuesday.
February was the third consecutive month in which the PMI, a measure of manufacturing activity, fell compared with the previous month. However, the input price subindex rose to 70.1 in February from 69.3 in January, indicating inflation pressures are continuing to rise in China.
Economists said February's PMI reading may have been distorted by the Lunar New Year holiday, which fell on Feb. 2-8.
A PMI reading above 50 indicates an expansion in manufacturing activity, while a reading below 50 indicates contraction.
CFLP analyst Zhang Liqun said in a statement the PMI reading shows the degree of any economic slowdown "will not be very great."
China's Official February Purchasing Managers Index Table Of Data
Component subindexes February January Output 53.8 55.3 New orders 54.3 54.9 New export orders 50.9 50.7 Backlog of orders 46.6 46.5 Stocks of finished goods 46.4 47.9 Quantity of purchases 54.5 57.7 Imports 53.9 53.0 Input prices 70.1 69.3 Stocks of purchases 49.5 52.0 Employment 48.9 49.0 Suppliers' delivery time 48.2 49.5
source:Dow Jones
|