Caixin/Markit Manufacturing PMI for March: 50.1 (expected 45.0)

Caixin/Markit Manufacturing PMI for March - this is the private PMI survey, focusing on small and export-oriented businesses

Up nearly 10 points on the month to 50.1 and into expansion (only just)

• expected 45.0, prior 40.3 (that Feb result was a record low)

"To sum up, the manufacturing sector was under double pressure in March: business resumption was insufficient; and worsening external demand and soft domestic consumer demand restricted production from expanding further," said Zhong Zhengsheng, Director of Macroeconomic Analysis at CEBM Group

The index for production 50.6 (from February's record drop of 28.6) - more factories reopened

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More on the first lines of the post - the official PMI data, in contrast, mainly tracks large-sized companies, mostly state-owned enterprises