Factory demand

Factory orders dropped 1.3% after an upwardly revised 5.3% jump in April

This offers some relief for the region’s export-reliant economies

It surges 4.8%, with commercial aircraft orders soaring 165.9%

The Purchasing Managers’ Index for the electronics sector grows by 0.2 point to 51.3

Key Asian exporters fare better, and the eurozone marks a return to manufacturing expansion

The overall purchasing managers’ index is up 0.2 point at 50.5, marking the sixth straight month of expansion

The official purchasing managers’ index rises to 50.1 in December from 49.2 in November

This excludes land and equipment, and is meant to ‘improve joint venture operational efficiency’

Chinese policymakers are in no rush to act now that their annual growth target of around 5% for this year looks to be within reach