China’s Caixin Services PMI jumped sharply from 50.6 to 52.6 in July, well ahead of expectations at 50.4, marking the fastest pace of expansion since May 2024. PMI Composite, owever, fell from 51.3 to 50.8 as dragged down by weak manufacturing.
According to S&P Global’s Jingyi Pan, the rise was driven by better domestic demand and a notable improvement in external demand, with new export business expanding for the first time in three months. Business sentiment also improved, reaching the highest level since March.
Firms also began hiring again, albeit mostly part-time. Importantly, companies felt confident enough to raise output charges for the first time in six months — a sign that inflation pressures are being more easily passed on to clients.
