BEIJING—A contraction in China’s factory and service-sector activity worsened for a second straight month in April, falling to their lowest levels since the depths of the initial pandemic outbreak, as lockdowns in dozens of cities across the country shut down production and pummeled consumer spending.
China’s National Bureau of Statistics said Saturday its official manufacturing purchasing managers index dropped to 47.4 in April, from 49.5 in March, falling to the lowest level since March 2020. The result fell short of the median forecast of a 48.0 reading by economists polled by The Wall Street Journal, and well below the 50 mark that separates expansion from contraction.
Read more on wsj.com