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China's PMI was 50.3 Percent in July
National Bureau of Statistics of China 2013-08-02 14:27:34

Department of Service Statistics of NBS

China Federation of Logistics and Purchases (CFLP)

In July, China's manufacturing purchasing managers index (PMI) was 50.3 percent, up by 0.2 percentage point month-on-month.

In view of the sizes of enterprises, the PMI of large-sized enterprises was 50.8 percent, up by 0.4 percentage point month-on-month; that of medium-sized enterprises was 49.6 percent, down by 0.2 percentage points month-on-month; that of small-sized enterprises was 49.4 percent, up by 0.5 percentage points month-on-month.

In July, for five sub-indices constituting PMI, four of them increased, while one of them decreased.

Production index was 52.4 percent, increased 0.4 percentage points month-on-month.

New orders index was 50.6 percent, increased 0.2 percentage points month-on-month, and stayed above the threshold. In addition, the survey results showed that the export and import orders index was 49.0 and 48.4 percent respectively, up by 1.3 and 0.5 percentage points over the previous month, staying below the threshold.

Main raw materials inventory index was 47.6 percent, increased 0.2 percentage point over last month.

Employed person index was 49.1 percent, increased 0.4 percentage point month-on-month, and stayed below the threshold for 14 consecutive months.

Supplier delivery time index was 50.1 percent, 0.2 percentage point lower than that in last month, and stayed close to the threshold.

Main raw material purchase price index was 50.1 percent, an increase of 5.5 percentage point month-on-month, stayed back above the threshold.

Production and business activities expectation index was 56.4 percent, up by 2.3 percentage points over last month,  ending a three-month downward trend, indicating that the proportion of manufacturing companies that are optimistic about the expectation of production and business activities in the next three months is increased.

China's manufacturing PMI (Seasonally adjusted)

Unit: %

 

PMI

 

Production Index

New Orders Index

Main Raw Materials Inventory Index

Employed Person Index

Supplier Delivery Time Index

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2012-July

50.1

51.8

49.0

48.5

49.5

49.0

August

49.2

50.9

48.7

45.1

49.1

50.0

September

49.8

51.3

49.8

47.0

48.9

49.5

October

50.2

52.1

50.4

47.3

49.2

50.1

November

50.6

52.5

51.2

47.9

48.7

49.9

December

50.6

52.0

51.2

47.3

49.0

48.8

2013-January

50.4

51.3

51.6

50.1

47.8

50.0

February

50.1

51.2

50.1

49.5

47.6

48.3

March

50.9

52.7

52.3

47.5

49.8

51.1

April

50.6

52.6

51.7

47.5

49.0

50.8

May

50.8

53.3

51.8

47.6

48.8

50.8

June

50.1

52.0

50.4

47.4

48.7

50.3

July

50.3

52.4

50.6

47.6

49.1

50.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Annotations:

1. Explanatory Notes

Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) is an index summarized and compiled through the results of the monthly survey of enterprises purchasing managers. It covers every links of the enterprises, including purchasing, production, logistics, and so on. It is one of the leading indices which was commonly adopted by international society to monitor the macroeconomic trends, and played an important role in forecasting and monitoring. The threshold of PMI is usually using 50 percent as the cut-off point for economic performance. If PMI above 50 percent, it reflects the manufacturing economy is expanding; if less than 50 percent, it reflects the manufacturing economy is in recession.

2.Statistical Coverage

The survey involves 31 divisions of manufacturing sector in the “Industrial Classification for National Economic Activities” (GB/T4754-2011). The survey sample was expanded from 820 to 3000 since January 2013.

3. Survey Methods

PPS (Probability Proportional to Size) sampling method was adopted in manufacturing purchasing managers’ survey. Using the divisions of the manufacturing sector as the selecting strata, the sample size of each division is proportional to its proportion of the value-added of the division to the total value-added of the manufacturing sector. Within the stratum, the samples are selected according to the probabilities proportional to their principal business revenues of the enterprises.

The survey was organized and conducted by staff members of survey offices, monthly through Online Reporting System of NBS by sending survey questionnaires to the purchasing managers of the selected enterprises.

4. Calculation Methods

The questionnaire of manufacturing purchasing managers survey covers 12 questions related to production, new orders, export orders, existing orders, finished goods inventory, purchase, import, purchase prices, raw materials, inventory, employees, suppliers, delivery time, production and business activities expectation and etc.. Diffusion index was calculated for each question, i.e. percentage of positive answers in number of enterprises plus half of the percentage in the same answers.

PMI is a composite index, which was calculated according to five diffusion indices (group indices) and their weights. 5 group indices and their weights are determined in accordance with their leading impact on the economy. Specifically, new orders index weighted 30 percent; production index weighted 25 percent; employees index weighted 20 percent; supplier delivery time index weighted 15 percent; raw materials inventory index weighted 10 percent. Of which, the supplier delivery time index is a converse index, and contrary calculation is needed when combines it into PMI.

5. Seasonal adjustment

The purchasing managers’ survey is a monthly survey, the data of the survey fluctuates very much for the influences of seasonal factors. The released PMI composite index and sub-indices are seasonally adjusted data.