China’s official manufacturing PMI is forecast to ease to 50.1 in April from 50.4 in March, as Iran war-driven energy costs pressure factory margins, a Reuters poll of 27 economists shows.
China’s official manufacturing PMI is forecast to ease to 50.1 in April from 50.4 in March, as Iran war-driven energy costs pressure factory margins, a Reuters poll of 27 economists shows. Summary: The official manufacturing PMI is forecast at 50.1 for April, down from 50.4 in March, according to the median estimate from a Reuters poll of 27 economists, with the data due from the National Bureau of Statistics on Thursday China’s Q1 GDP grew 5%, hitting the upper end of the government’s annual target, and industrial profits expanded at their fastest pace in six months in March, providing a relatively stable baseline ahead of the PMI release Factory-gate prices reversed a 41-month deflationary run in March, rising sharply in energy-intensive sectors including non-ferrous metal mining, though ANZ analysts have described cost-push inflation of this kind as negative for growth The People’s Bank of China kept benchmark loan prime rates on hold for an eleventh consecutive month last week, with Q1 momentum and a pickup in inflation reducing pressure for fresh easing Moody’s revised China’s sovereign outlook to stable from negative earlier this week, citing resilient economic and fiscal fundamentals China’s top leadership acknowledged a strong start to 2026 but flagged difficulties ahead, pledging to strengthen energy security and pursue greater technological self-sufficiency The extent to which China’s strategic reserves, diversified energy mix and robust electronics export demand continue to insulate the economy from the Iran conflict’s fallout is the central question the April data will begin to answer China’s official manufacturing purchasing managers’ index is expected to slip to 50.1 in April from 50.4 in March, according to the median forecast from a Reuters poll of 27 economists, with the National Bureau of Statistics set to publish the result on Thursday.
The reading would mark the third consecutive month of expansion in the factory sector but at a pace that…