China’s service sector showed a glimmer of resilience in October, with Caixin PMI Services edging up marginally from 50.2 to 50.4, meeting expectations. However, this slight uptick could not buoy the overall PMI Composite, which leveled at the neutral 50.0 threshold, down from 50.9 in the previous month.
The slight uptick in the services sector was overshadowed by a dip in manufacturing (which fell from 50.6 to 49.5). The details reveal a mixed scenario: composite new business inched forward at its weakest pace in ten months. Service providers and goods producers alike witnessed decelerated growth in sales.
Employment trends also painted a picture of caution. There was a small overall decline in jobs, with manufacturing bearing the brunt through more pronounced job losses, while employment in the service sector hit a plateau.
On the pricing front, inflationary pressures were somewhat contained. Input costs across the combined sectors rose modestly, maintaining a muted pattern of cost escalation. Despite this, firms nudged their selling prices upwards, continuing a trend that could suggest confidence in passing on costs, albeit the rate of charge inflation was just marginally lower than the 18-month peak seen in September.
