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The first reading on how the global manufacturing sector is performing in 2017 is good news
The first reading on the health of the global manufacturing sector in early 2017 has just been released, and it’s good news. The Nikkei-Markit flash manufacturing purchasing managers index (PMI) for Japan jumped to 52.8 in January, up from 52.4 in December, leaving it at the highest level seen since March 2014. The PMI measures changes in activity levels across Japan’s enormous manufacturing sector from one month to the next, with a reading of 50 indicating that activity levels were unchanged from one month earlier. Anything above 50, as seen in January, indicates that activity levels improved during the month. ... (full story)