China's manufacturing returns to growth in Nov as stimulus measures pay off

Factory activity in China unexpectedly returned to growth in November for the first time in seven months, as domestic demand picked up on Beijing's accelerated stimulus measures to steady growth.

But gains were slight, and export demand remained sluggish.

More US tariffs are looming within weeks and Beijing and Washington are still haggling over the first phase of a trade deal.

With China's economic growth cooling to near 30-year lows and industrial profits shrinking, speculation is mounting that Beijing needs to roll out stimulus more quickly and more aggressively, even if it risks adding to a pile of debt.

The Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI)