| Consensus | Consensus Range | Actual | Previous | |
| Composite Index | 51.5 | 55.4 | ||
| Services Index | 53.7 | 53.5 to 54.5 | 52.1 | 56.7 |
Highlights
The S&P Global PMI survey for China shows conditions weakened sharply in March, with the composite index falling to 51.5 from 55.4 in March. The business activity index for China's services sector, also published today, dropped to 52.1 in March from 56.7 in February, with the manufacturing sector PMI, published earlier in the week, also showing weaker conditions.
Respondents to today's service sector survey reported weaker growth in output and new orders, and a fall in new export orders in March. Payrolls were also reported to have fallen after having risen in the two previous months, while the survey's measure of confidence moderated. Respondents also reported a smaller increase in input costs and the third drop in selling prices in the last four months.
Market Consensus Before Announcement
Services seen down at 53.7 in March versus 56.7 in February.
Definition
The S&P China Services PMI is based on data compiled from monthly replies to questionnaires sent to purchasing executives in over 400 private service sector companies. The panel has been carefully selected to accurately replicate the true structure of the services economy.
The S&P China Composite PMI is a weighted average of the Manufacturing Output Index and the Services Business Activity Index, and is based on original survey data collected from a representative panel of over 800 companies based in the Chinese manufacturing and service sectors.
Description
The PMIs have developed an outstanding reputation for providing the most up-to-date possible indication of what is really happening in the private sector economy by tracking variables such as sales, employment, inventories and prices. The indexes are widely used by businesses, governments and economic analysts in financial institutions to help better understand business conditions and guide corporate and investment strategy. In particular, central banks in many countries use the data to help make interest rate decisions. PMI surveys are the first indicators of economic conditions published each month and are therefore available well ahead of comparable data produced by government bodies.