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February Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) at 52%

Published 01 Mar 2010

The Purchasing Managers' Index compiled by China's National Bureau of Statistics to measure business conditions fell to 52% in February, down from 55.8% in January. It was the lowest monthly reading since March 2009.

A reading of over 50% shows an expanding trend for manufacturing orders but the lower number in February from January indicates a slowing rate of expansion. Much of the slowdown was probably due to the long New Year holiday in February - and anecdotal evidence suggests that orders picked up in the last week of the month after the holiday had ended.