The global manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for December 2024 rose for the second consecutive month, signaling a continued but fragile economic recovery worldwide.
The index, released by the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP) on Monday, stood at 49.5 percent, up 0.2 percentage points from the previous month. The figure marked the second consecutive month of slight increases and set a new high for the second half of 2024, indicating a steady yet modest upward trend in global manufacturing.
Asia's PMI reached 51.1 percent in December, staying above 51 percent for three months in a row, and continuing to anchor the global economic recovery.
For Africa, its PMI rose by 1 percentage point from previous month to 50.2 percent in December, ending two consecutive months of sub-50 readings.
In the Americas, the PMI registered its second consecutive month of increases in December but remained in contraction territory.
Europe's PMI declined by 0.2 percentage points from the previous month to 46.8 percent, reflecting ongoing challenges in the region's manufacturing sector.
On a broader scale, the global manufacturing PMI averaged 49.3 percent for 2024 as a whole. While this suggested better overall manufacturing growth compared to 2023, the PMI's continued sub-50 reading highlighted the lack of strong momentum in global manufacturing activities.
Global manufacturing PMI continues upward trend, but signaling weak economic recovery
Global manufacturing PMI continues upward trend, but signaling weak economic recovery
A 6.8-magnitude earthquake jolted Dingri County in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region on Tuesday morning, killing 126 people and injuring 188 others, according to figures released at 19:00 on Tuesday.
The earthquake hit Dingri County in the city of Xigaze at 09:05 on Tuesday, with the epicenter located in the county's Tsogo Township.
Rescue forces from different emergency services have rescued 407 trapped people, set up 14 relocation and resettlement sites, and relocated and resettled more than 30,400 people affected by the disaster.
Municipal-level hospitals in the region are currently treating 28 critically injured patients.
Twenty four medical rescue teams with 568 people and 106 ambulances were dispatched to the region to carry out transfer and treatment work, with all those requiring treatment admitted to hospital.
More than 5,800 pieces of relief supplies, including cotton tents, cotton clothes and quilts, urgently allocated by the National Disaster Reduction Commission, the Ministry of Emergency Management, and the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration arrived at the quake-stricken area on Tuesday night, with 16,000 more pieces of relief supplies expected to be delivered on Wednesday.
More than 170,000 pieces of urgently needed supplies including tents, beds, quilts, blankets, warm clothing, heating equipment, emergency lightning, and food and water were also urgently dispatched to the affected area.
The region's emergency command center on Tuesday also raised the earthquake emergency response to level I, the highest level.
Death toll rises to 126 in 6.8-magnitude Xizang quake
