China's official Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) arrived at 49.0 in June as against the 48.8 contraction seen in May, the latest data published by the country’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed on Friday. The market had estimated a 49.0 figure.
The index rebounded from a five-month low but remained below the 50 mark that separates expansion from contraction.
The NBS Services PMI eased to 53.2 in June, compared with 54.5 reported in May while beating expectations of 50.8.
The mixed readings of the Chinese PMIs dragged the Aussie Dollar lower, with AUD/USD challenging 0.6600. The spot is trading at 0.6605, at the time of writing, down 0.05% on the day.