A strong beat for the China private survey manufacturing PMI

Comes in at 51.5

  • expected 50.7
  • prior 50.8

The 'key points' via Caixin / Markit:

  • Stronger increases in output and new orders
  • Employment declines only slightly
  • Confidence towards the year-ahead remains historically weak

Dr. Zhengsheng Zhong, Director of Macroeconomic Analysis at CEBM Group:

"The Caixin China General Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index rose to 51.5 in December, the highest since August.

  • Stronger increases in both output and new orders were seen in December compared to the previous month.
  • Growth in input prices eased to a four-month low, while growth in output prices slowed marginally.
  • Stocks of finished goods shrank again in December, and stocks of purchases declined slightly.

Manufacturing operating conditions improved in December, reinforcing the notion that economic growth has stabilized in 2017 and has even performed better than expected.

  • However, we should not underestimate downward pressure on growth next year due to tightening monetary policy and strengthening oversight on local government financing."

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Over the weekend the official PMIs were published: