Economics
China Factory Data Show Global Slump Weaken Nascent Recovery
- New export orders drop again to lowest since February’s nadir
- Service and construction sectors continue recovering
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China’s first official data for April suggest the economy has split into two tracks, with a domestic rebound undercut by weak overseas demand.
The official manufacturing purchasing managers’ index slipped to 50.8 from 52 a month earlier, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Thursday. New export orders plunged to 33.5 and a separate indicator more focused on smaller export-orientated firms returned to contraction.