China’s manufacturing PMI slips to 50 in May
China’s manufacturing activity slowed slightly in May 2026, with the country’s Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) falling to 50, down 0.3 percentage points from April, according to official data released on Sunday, Qazinform News Agency cites Xinhua.
A PMI reading above 50 signals expansion, while a figure below 50 indicates contraction.
Manufacturing output maintained steady growth, although market demand weakened somewhat during the month. The production sub-index rose to 51.2, while the new orders index stood at 49.9, based on figures released jointly by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing.
Huo Lihui, chief statistician at the NBS, said the PMI for high-tech manufacturing reached 52.9, while equipment manufacturing recorded 52.1. Both sectors improved compared with the previous month, increasing by 0.7 and 0.3 percentage points respectively.
High-tech manufacturing has now remained in expansion territory for 16 straight months, reflecting sustained momentum and the growing importance of emerging industries in supporting China’s economic development, Huo noted.
Large enterprises also showed stronger performance, with their PMI climbing to 51.1 in May, up 0.9 percentage points from April. According to the NBS, the index for large enterprises has stayed above the 50-point expansion threshold throughout 2026 so far.
Earlier, Qazinform reported Tajikistan, China explore a waste-to-energy project.
