China Caixin PMI Services dropped sharply from 54.9 to 46.7 in August, well below expectation of 52.6. PMI Composite dropped from 53.1 to 47.2, first contraction since April 2020. Caixin said business activity and new orders both fell amid uptick in COVID-19 cases. Companies reduced their staffing levels slightly. Input costs rose at slower pace, output charges declined.
Wang Zhe, Senior Economist at Caixin Insight Group said: “The Covid-19 resurgence has posed a severe challenge to the economic normalization that began in the second quarter of 2020. Both manufacturing and services shrank in August, with the latter hit harder than the former…
“Official economic indicators for July were worse than the market expected, indicating mounting downward pressure on economic growth. Authorities need to take a holistic view and balance the goals of containing Covid-19, stabilizing the job market, and maintaining stability in prices and supply.”
