BEIJING (Reuters) – Manufacturing activity in China contracted in February for a fifth consecutive month, an official survey showed on Friday, a situation that increases pressure on policymakers to consider additional stimulus measures.
The official manufacturing PMI index fell last month to 49.1, after 49.2 in January, remaining below the threshold of 50 which separates contraction and expansion of activity.
This is a decline consistent with consensus.
Activity in the services sector accelerated in February, probably driven by spending during the Lunar New Year festivities.
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According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the services PMI index rose last month to 51.4, after 50.7 in January, the highest since last September.
The composite PMI stood at 50.9 again in February, as in the previous month.
(Reporting Ellen Zhang and Joe Cash; French version Jean Terzian)
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