Global split over sector recovery

The world’s two largest economies both saw a tempering of factory production in April, with the pace of US manufacturing expansion easing for a second straight month.

Still, overall US activity remained firm and input prices rose to their highest in nearly three years, according to the data from the Institute for Supply Management released yesterday.

ISM said its factory index fell to 60.4 in April from 61.2 the month before, above forecasts for a reading of 60. It has held above the 50 threshold that separates growth from contraction since August 2009, and peaked in February 2011.

Despite the decline, analysts were reassured there was not greater spillover into US industry from Japan’s earthquake.

“We have had hits domestically from production and supply constraints from the Japanese disruptions and we are still over 60 on the manufacturing index so it is a very good report given the developments over the last six weeks,” said Kurt Karl, chief US economist at Swiss Re in New York.

China’s official purchasing managers’ index dipped to 52.9 in April from 53.4 in March, well shy of market forecasts for an increase to 54.0. The data sent worrying signals to the global economy, which has grown reliant on Chinese demand as a source of growth with the United States, Europe and Japan struggling to recover from the financial crisis.