<p>China's manufacturing activity slumped to its lowest level since February 2020, official data showed Saturday, the latest sign of economic pain as Beijing doggedly pursues its zero-Covid response.</p>.<p>The official Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), a key gauge of manufacturing activity, clocked 47.4 in April -- below the 50-point mark separating growth from contraction -- as authorities said that a "decline in production and demand" has deepened.</p>.<p>The figures come as Beijing's policy of swiftly stamping out infections with lockdowns and mass testing has been severely challenged by an Omicron-fuelled pandemic resurgence.</p>.<p>Dozens of cities, including economic powerhouses like Shenzhen and Shanghai, have been either fully or partially sealed off in recent months.</p>.<p>The inflexible approach -- even as most of the world learns to live with the virus -- has inflicted mounting economic pain, with the curbs snarling supply chains and leaving goods piling up at the world's busiest container port.</p>.<p>National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) senior statistician Zhao Qinghe acknowledged that some enterprises have had to reduce or stop production, while many firms have reported an increase in transportation difficulties.</p>.<p>"The production and operation of... enterprises have been greatly affected," Zhao said, according to an NBS statement that also noted the price indexes for raw materials remain "relatively high".</p>.<p>The official non-manufacturing PMI plummetted to its lowest level since early 2020 as well, NBS figures showed, as the country braces for a muted Labour Day holiday.</p>.<p>On Saturday, Chinese media group Caixin released its own manufacturing purchasing managers' index, showing a second straight month of deterioration, with the figure dropping from 48.1 to 46.0.</p>.<p>The Caixin survey, which covers small and medium-sized enterprises, is seen by some as a more accurate reflection of China's economic situation than the official government figures, which more closely track the condition of large state groups.</p>.<p>"Covid control measures have done a number on logistics," said Caixin Insight Group senior economist Wang Zhe in a statement.</p>.<p>Caixin also noted that firms expressed concerns over how long Covid restrictions would remain in place.</p>.<p>On Thursday, tech giant Apple warned that China's Covid lockdowns were among the factors that would dent its June quarter results by $4-8 billion.</p>.<p><strong>Check out the latest videos from <i data-stringify-type="italic">DH</i>:</strong></p>
<p>China's manufacturing activity slumped to its lowest level since February 2020, official data showed Saturday, the latest sign of economic pain as Beijing doggedly pursues its zero-Covid response.</p>.<p>The official Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), a key gauge of manufacturing activity, clocked 47.4 in April -- below the 50-point mark separating growth from contraction -- as authorities said that a "decline in production and demand" has deepened.</p>.<p>The figures come as Beijing's policy of swiftly stamping out infections with lockdowns and mass testing has been severely challenged by an Omicron-fuelled pandemic resurgence.</p>.<p>Dozens of cities, including economic powerhouses like Shenzhen and Shanghai, have been either fully or partially sealed off in recent months.</p>.<p>The inflexible approach -- even as most of the world learns to live with the virus -- has inflicted mounting economic pain, with the curbs snarling supply chains and leaving goods piling up at the world's busiest container port.</p>.<p>National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) senior statistician Zhao Qinghe acknowledged that some enterprises have had to reduce or stop production, while many firms have reported an increase in transportation difficulties.</p>.<p>"The production and operation of... enterprises have been greatly affected," Zhao said, according to an NBS statement that also noted the price indexes for raw materials remain "relatively high".</p>.<p>The official non-manufacturing PMI plummetted to its lowest level since early 2020 as well, NBS figures showed, as the country braces for a muted Labour Day holiday.</p>.<p>On Saturday, Chinese media group Caixin released its own manufacturing purchasing managers' index, showing a second straight month of deterioration, with the figure dropping from 48.1 to 46.0.</p>.<p>The Caixin survey, which covers small and medium-sized enterprises, is seen by some as a more accurate reflection of China's economic situation than the official government figures, which more closely track the condition of large state groups.</p>.<p>"Covid control measures have done a number on logistics," said Caixin Insight Group senior economist Wang Zhe in a statement.</p>.<p>Caixin also noted that firms expressed concerns over how long Covid restrictions would remain in place.</p>.<p>On Thursday, tech giant Apple warned that China's Covid lockdowns were among the factors that would dent its June quarter results by $4-8 billion.</p>.<p><strong>Check out the latest videos from <i data-stringify-type="italic">DH</i>:</strong></p>