emirates7 - China’s factory activity shrank for a second month in February, though lower US tariffs could bring about a small boost in the coming weeks.

The official manufacturing purchasing managers index, or PMI, slipped to 49 from 49.3 in January, a four-month low, the National Bureau of Statistics reported Wednesday.

The figure from its monthly survey of factory managers is measured on a scale of 0 to 100 and indicates contraction when it is below 50.

December’s manufacturing PMI reading of 50.1 broke China’s eight consecutive months of contraction, but its recent return to negative territory signals more weakness in manufacturing.