Chinese manufacturing activity waned slightly in December but is still expanding, official data showed on Thursday. The manufacturing purchasing manager’s index (PMI), a key measure of factory activity in China, posted 50.1 in December, down from 50.3 in November, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP). A reading above 50 indicates expansion, while a reading below 50 represents contraction. The PMI of large manufacturers posted 51.4, down from 51.6 in November. That of medium enterprises stood at 48.7, up from 48.4 in November, but still contracting. The PMI of small manufacturers slumped to 45.5, down from 47.6 in November, and remained in the contraction territory, the NBS said. The production sub-index posted at 52.2 percent, down from 52.5 in November. The sub-index for new orders slipped to 50.4, down from 50.9 […]