Chinese manufacturing weakens amid COVID-19 outbreak

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese manufacturing contracted for a third consecutive month in December, in the biggest drop since early 2020, as the country battles a nationwide COVID-19 surge after suddenly easing anti-epidemic measures. A monthly purchasing managers’ index declined to 47.0 from 48.0 in November, according to data released from the National Bureau of Statistics on Saturday. Numbers below 50 indicate a contraction in activity. The contraction was the biggest since February 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic had just started. The drop comes as China earlier this month abruptly relaxed COVID-19 restrictions after years of attempts to stamp out the virus. It is now facing facing a nationwide outbreak and authorities have stopped publishing a daily tally of COVID-19 infections.