Asia’s Factories Sustain Momentum as Japan Halts 11-Month Slump

Asia’s factory activity continued its expansion in May, supported by a recovery in new orders even as China’s rebound struggled to gain traction.

Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index for South Korea and Japan returned to growth in May, halting months of slump, according to S&P Global and au Jibun Bank. The gauge for Japan turned positive for the first time since May 2023 while Korea returned to expansion after below 50 readings for two months.