China's factory activity grows slightly in October; export orders decline

China's factory activity grew slightly in November, a private survey showed, though new export orders extended their decline in a further blow to the sector already hurt by the Sino-U.S. trade frictions.

The Caixin/Markit Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for November, released on Monday, ticked up to 50.2 from 50.1 in October. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast a reading of 50.0, the level that separates expansion from contraction.

Domestic orders have been losing momentum in recent quarters as the world's second-largest economy slows. Overall, a sub-index measuring new orders did improve slightly to 50.9 in November from 50.4 in the previous