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Factory activity in China unexpectedly contracted in July following recovering from lockdowns imposed to curb the spread of Covid-19 the previous month, an official survey showed, as the emergence of new strains of the virus and a bleak global outlook affected companies. .
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed that the official manufacturing PMI settled at 49 in July, down from 50.2 in June.
The 50-point mark separates contraction from growth on a monthly basis.
