Manufacturing sector in China remains sluggish

Growth in China’s manufacturing sector likely slowed to an 18-month low in December, a Reuters poll has showed, adding to signs of a protracted slowdown in the world’s second-largest economy that may prompt authorities to roll out more stimulus measures.

The median forecast from 11 economists in the poll was that the official manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for December will drop to 50.1, the weakest level from June 2013, from 50.3 in November.

The PMI will be released on Thursday.