China’s official Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) improved to 49.8 in September, compared to 49.1 in the previous reading. The reading beated the market consensus of 49.5 in the reported month. The NBS Non-Manufacturing PMI dropped to 50.0 in September versus August’s 50.3 figure and the estimates of 50.4.

Comparisons between 2 PMI surveys (National Bureau of Statistics of China & Caixin) for mainland China have often been made, especially when figures diverge in short-term trends.