Manufacturing PMI grows marginally in October as GST stings

Indian factory activity barely expanded in October as new orders fell, a survey showed on Wednesday, as price rises following the introduction of a goods and services tax dragged on the economy and underscored dim growth prospects over coming months.

The Nikkei Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index, compiled by IHS Markit, fell to 50.3 last month from September's 51.2, marking its third month above the 50-point threshold that separates growth from contraction.

That was below all projections in a Reuters poll which had predicted a modest uptick to 51.5 and comes after another recent Reuters survey forecast India's economy will grow at its