In May 2014, China’s purchasing managers index (PMI) for the manufacturing was released by the National Bureau of Statistics. The May PMI for the sector stood at 50.8, 0.4 points higher than in April. The May figure consolidated the growth trend for three consecutive months.
In terms of size of enterprises, the PMI for large-sized enterprises was 50.9 percent, slightly up month-on-month and in positive territory. The PMI for medium-sized enterprises was 51.4, again up on the previous month while the index for small-sized enterprises was still in negative territory at 48.8.
China PMI
In summary, of the five sub-indices comprising the PMI, three improved and two weakened:
• Production index: 52.8 up month-on-month;
• New orders index: 52.3up month-on-month;
• Raw materials inventory index: 48.0 down on April;
• Employed person index: 48.2 down month-on-month;
• Supplier delivery time index: 50.3 up month on month; and,
• The new export and import indices reflecting foreign trade in manufactured goods were 49.3 and 49.0 respectively both in negative territory.