
China’s manufacturing activity slumped to its lowest level since February 2020, official data showed on Saturday, the latest sign of economic pain as Beijing doggedly pursues its zero-Covid response.
The official Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), a key gauge of manufacturing activity, clocked 47.4 in April – below the 50-point mark separating growth from contraction – as authorities said that a “decline in production and demand” has deepened.