China Caixin PMI Services rose from 46.7 to 48.0 in December, above expectation of 47.5. PMI Composite rose from 47.0 to 48.3, pointing to contraction in business activity for the fourth straight month.
Wang Zhe, Senior Economist at Caixin Insight Group said: “Both manufacturing and services sectors’ supply and demand contracted due to the pandemic, with manufacturing demand taking a harder hit than in November. Overseas demand was weak, employment remained sluggish, but inflationary pressure was modest, and optimism among businesses significantly improved.
“Covid outbreaks rapidly spread across China in November, causing a number of macroeconomic indicators to fall sharply. On Dec. 7, China announced 10 new measures to further optimize Covid containment. In the short term, infections are expected to explode, which will disrupt production and everyday life. How to effectively coordinate Covid controls with economic and social development has once again become a crucial question.”
