Summary Manufacturing PMI 49.2 in April vs 51.9 in MarchNon-manufacturing PMI 56.4 vs 58.2 in MarchBEIJING, April 30 (Reuters) - China's manufacturing activity unexpectedly shrank in April, official data showed on Sunday, raising pressure on policymakers seeking to boost an economy struggling for a post-COVID lift-off amid subdued global demand and persistent property weakness.
That missed expectations of 51.4 tipped by economists in a Reuters poll, and marked the first contraction since December last year, when the official manufacturing PMI was at 47.0.
China's economy grew at a faster-than-expected pace in the first quarter thanks to robust services consumption, but factory output has lagged amid weak global growth.
The manufacturing sector, which provides jobs to about 18% of those employed nationwide, remains under pressure due to slack global demand.
The composite PMI, which includes both manufacturing and non-manufacturing activity, dropped to 54.4 from 57.0.