Baidu Planet: China Manufacturing Index Up Slightly (Chart) March: "Pace of expansion has stabilized"

● Baidu Planet ●

HSBC China Manufacturing PMI

China Manufacturing The HSBC China Manufacturing PMI, compiled by Markit, was up slightly in March to 51.8 from 51.7 (+0.1) in February. Key points noted in the report were:

● New growth order down to 8 month low

● Cost inflation cools to slowest since August 2010
● Average vendor performance detriorates, albeit at slowest rate in 7 months
Commenting on the China Manufacturing PMI survey, Hongbin Qu, Chief Economist, China & Co-Head of Asian Economic Research at HSBC said:

"The Final March manufacturing PMI confirmed that the pace of manufacturing expansion has stabilised after slowing in February. This implies economic growth is only moderating rather than slowing too much. More importantly, price hikes also started to slow in March. All these confirm our view that quantitative tightening is working. So as long as Beijing keeps tightening for another three to four months, inflation should start to slow meaningfully in 2H2011."

China Manufacturing PMI (Chart) Below is a chart of the China Manufacturing PMI since March 2010 through the latest month reported. Manufacturing has expanded, remained above 50, every month except July 2010, and now for 7 consecutive months. The PMI is a percentage - not a total. More about the PMI below the chart. A reading above 50 indicates Chinese manufacturing is expanding even when the monthly PMI is decreasing, just at a slower rate.

Commentary The China Manufacturing PMI of +0.1 halts the decline of expansion but the PMI continues at a lower level. The HSBC report did note, "The relatively subdued expansion of manufacturing output was primarily linked to respondents to a weaker rise in new business". China has implemented fiscal and monetary measures to slow down the economy to contain prices and the mostly level March PMI, compared to last month, appears to be the result and also the goal. What portion may be of a slowing of both the Chinese and Global economic expansion is the possible concern.
● The current PMI is below the 12-month moving average of 52.9
● The recent peak in expansion was 54.5 in January 2011
● The current PMI is below the long-term PMI series average of 52.3

About the PMI The HSBC China Report on Manufacturing is based on data compiled from monthly replies to questionnaires sent to purchasing executives in over 400 manufacturing companies. The panel is stratified geographically and by Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) group, based on regional and industry contribution to Chinese Industrial Production. Survey responses reflect the change, if any, in the current month compared to the previous month based on data collected mid-month. For each of the indicators the ‘Report’ shows the percentage reporting each response, the net difference between the number of higher/better responses and lower/worse responses, and the ‘diffusion’ index. This index is the sum of the positive responses plus a half of those responding ‘the same’.

* The Purchasing Managers’ Index™ (PMI™) is a composite index based on five of the individual indexes with the following weights: New Orders - 0.3, Output - 0.25, Employment - 0.2, Suppliers’ Delivery Times - 0.15, Stock of Items Purchased - 0.1, with the Delivery Times index inverted so that it moves in a comparable direction.

* Diffusion indexes have the properties of leading indicators and are convenient summary measures showing the prevailing direction of change. An index reading above 50 indicates an overall increase in that variable, below 50 an overall decrease.

About HSBC Headquartered in London, HSBC is one of the largest banking and financial services organisations in the world. Its international network comprises some 8,000 offices in 87 countries and territories in Europe; Hong Kong; Rest of Asia-Pacific; the Middle East; North America and Latin America. With assets of US$2,418 billion at 30 June 2010, HSBC is one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organisations. HSBC is marketed worldwide as ‘the world’s local bank’.

About Markit Markit is a leading, global financial information services company with over 1,900 employees. The company provides independent data, valuations and trade processing across all asset classes in order to enhance transparency, reduce risk and improve operational efficiency. Its client base includes the most significant institutional participants in the financial market place. For more information please see www.markit.com

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