China factory activity snaps 2-month contractionary streak in September

SHENZHEN, CHINA - AUGUST 30: A man stands on the waterfront overlooking MSC and Ocean Network Express (ONE) container ships berthed beneath gantry cranes at Yantian Port on August 30, 2026, in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China. Cheng Xin | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesChina's factory activity returned to growth in September as a deepening economic malaise prompts policymakers to ramp up stimulus steps and bolster growth. The official manufacturing purchasing managers' index rose to 50.1 from 49.8 in August, National Bureau of Statistics data showed Wednesday, in line with analysts' forecast for a modest expansion of 50.1 in a Reuters poll. The modest expansion was driven by accelerated activity in equipment and high-tech-related manufacturing, as well as consumer industries, according to NBS chief statistician Huo Lihui. The non-manufacturing PMI also returned to expansionary territory, climbing to 50.2, as business activity picked up in the services sector, and reached their highest level this year in the construction sector. Manufacturers in the country have benefited from the AI hardware boom, while weak consumer demand at home has been a major worry, with higher energy cos...