Mr. Wood
Banned
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China Manufacturing PMI above 50, but for how much longer?
March 2, 2021
Asian Open: PMI supportive of sentiment overnight (bar China)
March 2, 2021
March 2, 2021
China released its NBS Manufacturing PMI for February. The reading was 50.6 vs an expectation of 51.1 and January’s print of 51.3. This ties the smallest increase in manufacturing activity since May 2020, immediately following the pandemic in China. In addition, the Caixin Manufacturing PMI (a private company survey) showed similar results with a reading of 50.9 vs 51.5 expected and 51.5 in January. It is also the lowest reading since May of last year. Given the rise in commodity prices as of late, the price components for both readings continued to rise as well (inflation?).
Asian Open: PMI supportive of sentiment overnight (bar China)
March 2, 2021
A ‘back of the envelope’ calculation is to average the January (51.5) and February (50.9) data as it accounts for the rise in business ahead of the holiday. This means the proxy-PMI could sit around 51.2 which, whilst still softer, not as close to the contraction threshold of 49.9. But, if we get a weak print in March (particularly if it contracts below 50) then expect risk-off fireworks to emerge across markets.
Elsewhere, Japan’s manufacturing PMI rose to a 2-year high of 51.40 (up from 50.6), Australian PMI rose to a near 3-yer high of 58.8 (55.3 prior), Germany and the broader Euro Zone PMI’s rose to 60.7 and 57.9 and the UK’s PMI rose to 55.1 (54.9 prior). All the above beat expectations.
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