BEIJING – Factory activity in China edged down in January, official figures showed Sunday, but slightly exceeded expectations as businesses struggled with sporadic disruptions due to coronavirus outbreaks.
The Purchasing Managers’ Index — a key gauge of manufacturing activity — in the world’s second-largest economy inched down to 50.1, just above the 50-point mark separating growth from contraction.
The data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows a slight decrease from last month’s reading of 50.3, when activity was buoyed by an easing of commodity prices.
“Faced with a complex and severe economic environment and scattered outbreaks … China’s economy continued to recover and develop, though growth levels…
