NBS: China's manufacturing PMI retreats to 49.1 in Jan

China's Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for the manufacturing industry slid for the second straight month to stand at 49.1 in January, according to the latest release from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Monday morning.

The index retreated below the 50 mark separating expansion from contraction after staying in the expansion zone for three consecutive months, indicating that China's manufacturing industry activity declined this month, the NBS data showed. The approach of the Chinese New Year (CNY) holiday spanning January 28-February 4 led to a