China’s RatingDog manufacturing PMI came in at 52 for October 2026, data released on 2 November showed. The reading was above the market forecast of 51.6, but it was lower than the previous period’s 52.1.
What the index measures
The purchasing managers’ index is a survey of factory managers about orders, output, employment and supplier deliveries. A reading above 50 generally indicates that manufacturing activity expanded over the reference month, while a reading below 50 points to contraction. The figure is a diffusion index, so it reflects the share of respondents reporting improvement rather than the size of any change in output.
Against the forecast, the result was a modest beat of 0.4 points. Against the previous period, the reading slipped by 0.1 points, a small move that leaves the index at a level still consistent with expansion.
The release was published at 01:45 GMT.
Related: China's NBS Manufacturing PMI Falls to 49.3 in October
Source: RatingDog
