Growth in China’s manufacturing sector picked up more than expected in March as authorities lifted winter pollution restrictions and steel mills cranked up production as construction activity swings back into high gear. The official Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) released on Saturday rose to 51.5 in March, from 50.3 in February, and was well above the 50-point mark that separates growth from contraction on a monthly basis. Analysts surveyed by Reuters had forecast the reading would pick up only slightly to 50.5. The findings add to a growing amount of data which suggest that China’s economy has carried more ... (full story)