China’s manufacturing activity expands in March after a 5-month lull

BEIJING (AP) — Manufacturing in China expanded in March after contracting for five consecutive months, according to an official survey of factory managers released Sunday, suggesting a rebound in industrial activities following the Lunar New Year holiday. The official purchasing managers index, or PMI, rose from 49.1 in February to 50.8 in March. The PMI is on a scale up to 100, where 50 marks the cutoff between expansion and contraction. The monthly manufacturing PMI has mostly been under 50 over the past 12 months: Other than this month, factory activities only recorded an expansion in September. National Bureau of…