China's factory activity expanded at a slightly slower pace in October, with the RatingDog China General Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index slipping to 52.0 from 52.1 in September, S&P Global said on Monday. The private reading exceeded the 51.6 forecast in a Reuters poll, though export order growth slowed to a three-month low and output rose at its fastest rate in six months.
The 52.0 private reading kept China's manufacturing in expansion, while the official PMI released on Saturday showed factory activity falling, leaving two gauges pointing in different directions for the world's second-largest economy. Export order growth slowed to a three-month low and export prices fell for the first time since November 2025, per the survey.
China's factory activity expanded at a slightly slower pace in October, as a private survey showed the RatingDog China General Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index slipping to 52.0 from 52.1 in September, S&P Global said on Monday. The reading was above the 51.6 forecast in a Reuters poll and stayed over the 50 mark that separates growth from contraction, Reuters reported.
The survey put output growth at its fastest in six months, while new orders softened to 53.3 from 53.4 and export order growth slowed to a three-month low. Growth in export orders varied by goods type, easing for consumer and intermediate goods producers while accelerating for investment goods producers, according to the survey. Employment rose for a second month, though marginally, and work backlogs lengthened for a ninth month as heavier workloads strained capacity.
Output prices fell after rising in September, which the survey attributed to firms cutting prices to support sales amid intense competition, while easing input costs also allowed for discounting. Export prices declined for the first time since November 2025. Purchasing activity grew at the fastest pace since February, and stocks of purchased goods rose at the strongest pace in five months.
Business confidence remained positive but eased to a nine-month low, with some firms pointing to elevated input prices and stiffer competition as concerns. The private survey contrasted with China's official manufacturing PMI, released on Saturday, which showed factory activity falling unexpectedly.
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