The purchasing managers’ index (PMI) for China’s manufacturing sector stood at 35.7 in February, down from 50 in January, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said Saturday. A reading above 50 indicates expansion, while a reading below reflects contraction. The sharp decline resulted from the impact of the novel coronavirus outbreak, said NBS senior statistician Zhao Qinghe. In breakdown, all 21 surveyed industries of the manufacturing sector stayed in the contraction zone, but the impact of the virus varied in different industries said Zhao. The PMI for industries, including chemical fiber and […]