Trade deal, holiday season boost China's Dec factory output

Beijing

CHINA'S two sets of indices measuring manufacturing sentiment expanded in December on the back of increased demand over the holiday season and just as a "Phase One" deal is about to be inked which is expected to put a hold on further duties on Chinese imports into the United States.

The official purchasing managers' index (PMI), published on Monday by the National Bureau of Statistics, expanded for a second straight month to 50.2 in December, unchanged from November, while a private version of the survey compiled by Markit and Caixin came in at 51.5, compared to 51.8 in November.