Supply Chain Research

Chinese managers’ expectations for manufacturing output were unchanged in May, with a net 1.2% of respondents seeing expansion. That was slightly better than expected, and was partly the result of an increase in the export outlook after an 8% growth in exports in April. The bigger concern, however, is imports. The outlook dropped to an even-balance between expansion and contraction, the third month of lower expectations. That bodes ill for the export outlook for key supplier nations, led by Japan and South Korea, and suggests minimal impact from policy moves such as the “100 day plan” wi...