China's manufacturing sector improves in May amid easing lockdowns

By Ovunc Kutlu

ANKARA (AA) - China's manufacturing sector improved in May as authorities eased lockdowns that had been introduced to curb the omicron coronavirus variant.

The purchasing managers' index (PMI), a key indicator of manufacturing activity, came in at 49.6 in May, up from 47.4 in April, China's state-owned news agency Xinhua reported, citing data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

While a reading above 50 reflects expansion, a reading below 50 indicates contraction.

"China's economy took a hit from the omicron outbreak and changes in the international situation, but it has improved in May due to the effective coordination of epidemic containment and economic and social development," NBS senior statistician Zhao Qinghe was quoted by Xinhua as saying.