China's manufacturing PMI rises to 49.8 in September

The purchasing managers' index (PMI) for China's manufacturing sector came in at 49.8 in September, up 0.7 points from last month, official data showed Monday.

The reading marked the highest notch in recent five months and ended a two-month decline, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

The PMI data, released by the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP) and the Service Industry Survey Center of the NBS, indicated an improvement in the county's manufacturing activities, with supply and demand both picking up.

Market demand remained broadly steady in September, with several industries entering their seasonal peak. Policies aimed at boosting consumption, such as large-scale equipment upgrades and consumer goods trade-ins, continued to yield positive results.

"Demand has rebounded noticeably, with the new orders index rising by one point, nearing the 50-point mark. This reflects that market fundamentals are strengthening, supported by effective macroeconomic policies. Additionally, the impact of the previous extreme weather has significantly lessened in September, contributing to the PMI's rise," said Cai Jin, vice chairman of the CFLP.

Stronger demand has boosted output, with the sub-index on production for September reaching 51.2, up 1.4 points from the previous month.

The high-tech and equipment manufacturing sectors also saw expansion, with their readings at 53 and 52, up 1.3 and 0.8 points respectively.

"Large enterprises saw a slight rise in PMI within the expansion range, with growth momentum picking up. While the PMI for small and medium-sized enterprises remained below the 50-point threshold, their business activity has picked up. Besides, the production index for enterprises of all sizes was within the expansion range, with small enterprises moving above the expansion threshold for the first time since May," said Huo Lihui, head of the business climate survey division of the Service Industry Survey Center of (NBS).

A reading above 50 indicates expansion, while a reading below 50 reflects contraction.

China's manufacturing PMI rises to 49.8 in September

Major floods and landslides triggered by relentless rainfall have battered Nepal, killing almost 200 people and causing widespread destruction.

Officials reported on Monday that the death toll from the monsoon floods and landslides has risen to 193 across the Himalayan nation, with at least 31 people still missing and many others injured.

The catastrophic floodwaters have destroyed many homes, cut off highways, and downed power lines.

Almost one-third of the country’s power supply, around 1,100 MW of electricity, was shut down by flooding and nearly all the country’s highways, including those connecting the capital city of Kathmandu to the rest of the country, have been blocked by flooding, landslides and debris, according to police.

Maya Hhapa Magar, a resident of Balkhu, a suburb of Kathmandu, recounted the terrifying moment the floodwaters arrived and wreaked havoc.

"It was around 4:30 in the morning. The flood entered here and swept away everything. Everything is destroyed. There is nothing out here. We don't have anything to eat. Everything is swept away by the flood. We were at least able to escape and save ourselves," said the survivor.

Rainfall of this intensity has not been seen in over a decade, with some of the worst-hit areas reporting up to 322.2 mm over the last few days.

"Compared to last year, the water level has increased. It has reached the highest level. I had seen such a flood around 15 to 20 years ago. This flooding is something unimaginable for us," said Rajesh Kumar Maharjan, a resident of hard-hit Lalitpur.

Nepal has seen higher than average monsoon rainfalls since the monsoon started in early June.

Nepal floods wreak havoc, killing nearly 200