Investing.com - China’s manufacturing sector barely expanded in April, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed on Tuesday.
The official Purchasing Managers’ Index came in at 50.1 for the month of April, lower than the expected reading of 50.5.
The official non-manufacturing PMI fell to 54.3 from 54.8 in March. Services account for more than half of China’s economy.
A reading above 50 indicates expansion, while a reading below reflects contraction.
Separately, the Caixin/Markit manufacturing PMI, a private survey that focuses on small and mid-sized firms, came in at 50.2. That compares with the expected 51.0 and 50.8 from last month.
Following the release of the data, the Shanghai Composite and the Shenzhen Component rose 0.5% and 0.7% respectively by 10:30 PM ET (02:30 GMT).