New Delhi, July 7 -- Manufacturing activity across most of Asia's export-driven economies faltered or saw only marginal improvement in June, as global trade tensions-exacerbated by a fresh wave of US tariffs-continued to weigh on sentiment. In this gloomy landscape, India stood out as a rare bright spot.

Every major Asian economy that ran a trade surplus with the US last year saw factory output either contract or eke out a tepid rebound last month. That includes China, Vietnam, South Korea, Japan, and Malaysia-economies heavily reliant on American demand. The tariff freeze announced by President Donald Trump on 2 April is set to lapse on 9 July, casting further uncertainty over Asia's near-term export outlook.

China's manufacturing sect...