Mumbai, Feb. 2 -- Business conditions in China's manufacturing sector continued to improve at the start of 2026, according to the latest PMI data. The rate of output growth accelerated slightly amid higher new orders, including from overseas customers. Firms hired additional staff to help cope with rising workloads and clear their outstanding orders. Purchasing activity also rose.
That said, business confidence fell to a nine-month low in January, which was partly attributed to concerns around costs. Notably, the latest survey pointed to the strongest rise in expenses for four months, which contributed to the first rise in output charges since November 2024.
The headline seasonally adjusted Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) - a composite i...