China's Manufacturing Sends Mixed Signals, Spurring Calls for More Economic Support Ahead of Key Policy Meeting

China's manufacturing sector sent mixed signals in February, with the official PMI showing contraction while the Caixin PMI showed expansion.
This has fueled calls for Beijing to do more to support economic growth ahead of next week's National People's Congress meeting.
The divergence between the two PMIs may reflect structural shifts and differences in sector/region coverage.
Analysts say more policy support is still needed to boost domestic demand, improve livelihoods, and lift market expectations.
At the NPC, Beijing is expected to unveil more fiscal stimulus measures to help meet its 2023 growth targets.