Covid-19 outbreaks have forced enterprises to reduce or even stop production
An empty street and a closed IKEA store are pictured amid a Covid-19 outbreak, during the Labour Day holiday in Shanghai, China, on April 30 2022. Picture: REUTERS/BRENDA GOH
Factory activity fell to the lowest level in more than two years, with the official manufacturing PMI dropping to 47.4 from 49.5 in March, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Saturday. That was largely in line with the median estimate of economists. China’s economic activity contracted sharply in April as the lockdown of Shanghai and other areas around the country to contain a widespread Covid-19 outbreak closed factories, snarled roads and stopped people from consuming, escalating concerns about further disruption to global supply chains. Graphic: BLOOMBERG
An index measuring the delivery time of suppliers dropped to 37.2 from 46.5, suggesting that it’s taking much longer for raw materials to reach their manufacturing customers, despite repeated vows by authorities to keep transportation and logistics running smoothly. The importance of guaranteeing supply chains was reiterated by the Politburo on Friday.
Construction activities continued to expand but at a weaker pace as Covid-19 controls restricted the movement of workers. President Xi Jinping this week called for all-out efforts to spur infrastructure spending, saying it was a pillar of economic and social development. Economists also expect infrastructure investment to play a key role in supporting growth.
Logistics bottlenecks have caused parts shortages and made moving people and goods within the country and across borders difficult. Consumer spending has also dropped as people stay home, voluntarily or unwillingly.
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