China’s official manufacturing purchasing managers’ index edged back above the expansion threshold in September 2026. The National Bureau of Statistics reported a reading of 50.1, up 0.3 points from August, in its release dated 1 October.
The improvement was uneven across company sizes. Large enterprises recorded 50.6, unchanged from the previous month. Medium-sized businesses stood at 49.7 and small enterprises at 48.9. Both smaller-company readings improved, but remained below the threshold separating expansion from contraction in the survey.
Production strengthened more decisively than orders. The production index increased 1.3 points to 51.7, while the new-orders index slipped 0.1 points to 50.5. The employment index fell 0.3 points to 48.4, indicating a weaker employment climate despite the rise in the headline measure.
For companies trading with China, the survey describes operating conditions rather than GDP or the value of factory output. Stronger production does not mean hiring or conditions at smaller suppliers improved at the same pace. The linked NBS release provides the underlying series.