China's factory activity unexpectedly shrinks in July as demand sags

An employee works on the production line manufacturing pipe-fitting valves at a factory in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, China, on Jan 14, 2026. (File photo: Reuters/Josh Arslan) 31 Jul 2026 10:23AM BEIJING: China's factory activity unexpectedly slipped into contraction in July, pressured by shrinking new orders that rei

The official manufacturing purchasing managers' index fell to 49.2 in July from 50.3 in June, National Bureau of Statistics data showed Friday.