CHINA’s factory activity decline deepened in December, official data showed on Sunday, as Beijing rounded off a year marked by its stuttering economic recovery from the pandemic. The official manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) — a key measure of factory output — stood at 49.0 in December, below the 50-point mark separating expansion from contraction, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). Register to read this story and more for free . Signing up for an account helps us improve your browsing experience. OR See our subscription options.