China's Feb factory activity shrinks for 5th month, adding to pressure on economy

A worker in a silk factory in Yuexi, China — AP

BEIJING: China's manufacturing activity in February contracted for a fifth straight month, an official factory survey showed on Friday, raising the pressure on policymakers to roll out further stimulus measures as factory owners struggle for orders.

The official purchasing managers' index (PMI) fell to 49.1 in February from 49.2 in January, below the 50-mark separating growth from contraction and in line with a median forecast of 49.1 in a Reuters poll.