The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS, 国家统计局) released September 2026 purchasing managers’ index (PMI) readings on 30 September. It compiles the survey with the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (中国物流与采购联合会).
Production index rose while new orders eased slightly
The NBS commentary reports a production index of 51.7 percent, up 1.3 percentage points from August. The new orders index was 50.5 percent, down 0.1 percentage points.
| Indicator | Index (%) | Change (pp) |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing PMI | 50.1 | +0.3 |
| Production | 51.7 | +1.3 |
| New orders | 50.5 | -0.1 |
PMI summarises purchasing managers’ monthly reports. The survey notes explain that readings above 50 percent indicate expansion from the previous month. Readings below 50 percent indicate contraction.
These are survey index readings, not percentage changes in output. The headline manufacturing PMI was 49.8 percent in August.
Smaller companies remained below the expansion threshold
Large manufacturers recorded a PMI of 50.6 percent, unchanged from August. Medium-sized and small manufacturers improved by 0.3 and 1.0 percentage points respectively. Both groups remained below 50 percent.
Unit: %
September 2026; survey index readings; 50% threshold · Source: NBS PMI commentary, 30 September 2026
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| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Large | 50.6% |
| Medium-sized | 49.7% |
| Small | 48.9% |
Industry groups reported different September PMI readings
The NBS commentary lists equipment manufacturing, high-tech manufacturing and consumer goods above the threshold. The high-energy-consuming industry group remained below it.
Unit: %
September 2026; survey index readings; 50% threshold · Source: NBS PMI commentary, 30 September 2026
View as table
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Equipment | 51.0% |
| High-tech | 52.5% |
| Consumer goods | 50.7% |
| High energy use | 48.0% |
The manufacturing survey uses 3,200 business samples
The release’s survey notes specify 3,200 manufacturing samples across 31 industry categories. All published indices are adjusted for seasonal patterns.
