Positive signs from Beijing as factory output at a five-month high

China’s activity data was stronger than expected in November, with factory output growth picking up to a five-month high, signalling that a flurry of stimulus measures from Beijing may have put a floor under a fragile economy.

Factory output grew an annual 6.2% in November, the National Bureau of Statistics showed, up from October’s 5.6% and beating expectations of 5.6%.

Growth in China’s fixed-asset investment, one of the main drivers of the economy, rose 10.2% in the first 11 months, unchanged from the gain in the January-October period.