A business survey in Beijing shows September marks the 11th straight month of decline for Chinese manufacturing. Export orders also fell in September at the sharpest rate in 42 months amid weak international demand. The HSBC Managers Index measures manufacturing activities on a 100-point scale on which numbers below 50 show a contraction. The index […]
Chinese Factory Activity Declines
Posted March 22nd, 2012 at 6:20 am (UTC-5)
A new report shows China’s manufacturing sector has contracted for a fifth straight month in March, which could lead policymakers to ease the nation’s monetary policy. The purchasing manager’s index from British banking giant HSBC fell to 48.1, a significant decline from the 49.6 figure posted in February. Any number below 50 indicates contraction, while […]
Obama Calls for Tax Changes to Boost US Manufacturing
Posted February 15th, 2012 at 3:30 pm (UTC-5)
U.S. President Barack Obama is calling on Congress to enact a series of tax law changes to help boost American manufacturing and encourage companies to add jobs in the United States rather than moving them overseas. Mr. Obama told a group of workers Wednesday at the Master Lock plant in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, that it is […]
Report: Chinese Manufacturing Rises in January
Posted February 1st, 2012 at 4:30 am (UTC-5)
China’s manufacturing sector slightly improved in January for the second consecutive month, suggesting the world’s second-biggest economy will not suffer a major impact from the still-sluggish global economy. Figures released Wednesday by the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing indicate the official purchasing managers index (PMI) rose to 50.5 in January, barely exceeding December’s 50.3 […]
Data Fuels Fears about Chinese Economy
Posted November 23rd, 2011 at 2:15 am (UTC-5)
A survey of China’s manufacturing sector suggests the world’s second biggest economy may be headed for a slowdown. Global banking and financial services company HSBC said Wednesday its preliminary Purchasing Managers’ Index indicates China’s factory activity slumped to its lowest level in 32 months. The preliminary index fell to a reading of 48 (on a […]
Manufacturing Slows Across the Globe
Posted September 1st, 2011 at 11:55 am (UTC-5)
New reports show that manufacturing slowed across much of the globe in August, fueling new fears of a worldwide economic downturn. One survey Thursday showed that manufacturing in the United States, the world’s biggest economy, advanced slightly last month, but at a slower pace than in July. Elsewhere, the story was much the same, or […]
HSBC Survey Shows Slowdown in Chinese Manufacturing
Posted July 21st, 2011 at 5:20 am (UTC-5)
A leading bank survey finds that manufacturing activity in China declined this month for the first time in a year, driven by government measures to slow the economy and ease inflation. The monthly survey by British banking giant HSBC also found that manufacturers are being hurt by rising costs for labor and raw materials as […]
China’s Manufacturing Sector Declines in May
Posted June 1st, 2011 at 12:25 am (UTC-5)
The expansion of China’s manufacturing activity slowed in May to its lowest rate in nine months, reflecting the government’s attempts to cool the economy and slow inflation. The China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing says its purchasing managers index, which measures the manufacturing sector, fell from 52.9 in April to 52 last month. The federation […]
