Stocks rise amid optimism in China
Asian stock markets rose today after surveys showed a recovery in China’s manufacturing gained momentum in November.
HSBC’s Purchasing Managers’ Index rose to 50.5 in November on a 100-point scale on which numbers above 50 indicate activity is expanding. It was the first expansion in 13 months. The reading in October was 49.5.
That comes on top of the release of a state-sanctioned survey, the China Federation of Logistics & Purchasing’s monthly Purchasing Managers’ Index, which showed an improvement to 50.6 from 50.2 in October.
The PMI index measures overall manufacturing activity by surveying numerous indicators including orders, employment and actual production.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 index rose 0.7% to 9,508.26. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index added 0.2% to 22,067.07. South Korea’s Kospi gained 0.3% to 1,938.93.
Benchmarks in Singapore, Taiwan and Indonesia rose. Mainland Chinese shares fell marginally.
The Chinese numbers are rare good news for the world economy, which has slowed as Europe’s chronic debt crisis worsened and the American economy stagnated.
