Manufacturing activity across Asia slows as trade tiff starts to bite

Last month, China and the US slapped tit-for-tat tariffs on $34 billion of each other's goods and another round of tariffs on $16 billion is expected in August

Manufacturing activity across Asia slowed in July, deepening concerns about the region’s economic outlook as an intensifying trade conflict between the United States and China sent shudders through their trading partners.
 

A survey of purchasing managers released on Wednesday showed China’s manufacturing sector grew at its slowest pace in eight months in July, with new export orders suffering the worst slump since mid-2016.
 

Similar surveys revealed slowing activity from Australia to Japan. The shipping container market, in which the vast majority of finished manufacturing goods are imported and exported, shows a similar picture: the Harpex container index has fallen by