China’s manufacturing activity contracted in November, according to official and private surveys, as stronger demand overseas after a trade truce with the US failed to reverse a deepening slowdown in the economy.

Despite a surge in new export orders, the RatingDog China manufacturing purchasing managers’ index unexpectedly slumped to 49.9, according to a statement released on Monday, falling below the 50 mark that separates growth and contraction for the first time in four months.

A day earlier, the National Bureau of Statistics said the official manufacturing PMI remained in contraction for an eighth month, improving slightly but extending its streak of declines to a record. Among the major components, the new export order sub-index rose the most.

Offsetting the pull of improving sales

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