China factory momentum intact despite debt curbs

New manufacturing export orders climbed to a six-month high of 51.9 from 50.8

China’s official factory gauge maintained momentum, signalling campaigns to reduce both pollution and debt risk haven’t curbed output.
 
Steadiness in manufacturing comes even amid intensifying efforts to curb smog and a push to reduce excessive borrowing. Top leaders have been signalling less emphasis on pursuing expansion at all costs and this month, at their main economic planning conclave for 2018, they pledged to focus on “critical battles” against financial risk, pollution and poverty.
 
“The relatively healthy Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) number shows the government can still tolerate the impact of deleveraging,” said Ding Shuang, chief China economist at