China Manufacturing Slump Weighs on Asia Factory Activity.

China's factory activity contracted for the fifth consecutive month in February, impacting manufacturers across Asia. The official manufacturing purchasing managers index (PMI) for China was 49.1, indicating a contraction, while the Caixin PMI, which focuses on smaller firms, improved to 50.9. Other countries in North Asia, such as Taiwan and Japan, also experienced declines in factory output and new orders due to weak customer spending and reduced international sales. In Southeast Asia, Thailand had the lowest PMI, while Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam posted above-50 readings. Rising prices of raw materials and tepid demand put pressure on factories, and the World Trade Organization warned of weaker-than-expected global commerce due to economic headwinds and protectionism. [Extracted from the article]