Manufacturing in the United States grew last month at its fastest clip in nearly 2½ years but expansion in China's massive factory sector was slight and deep divergences persisted in euro-zone countries, surveys showed yesterday.
The data highlighted the uneven nature of the global economic recovery. Signs that China may be struggling were of particular concern with a partial US government shutdown and political crisis in Italy already stoking uncertainty in financial markets.
Both China's official purchasing managers' index and one compiled by HSBC showed manufacturing grew by less than expected last month.
Similar indices measuring the factory sectors in India, South Korea and Taiwan rose modestly.
"The question is, 'how sustainable is the recovery?'," said Haibin Zhu, the chief China economist for JP Morgan in Hong Kong, referring to the world's second-largest economy. "We are still cautious. We see the recovery peaking in the third quarter and slowing in the fourth quarter."
Analysts worry that China's economy, which has slowed this year, may not rebound as quickly as hoped. The central government is reluctant to implement strong stimulus policies for fear they could cause longer-term problems.
The US has been picking up some of the slack, with the economy having grown 2.5 per cent in the second quarter. Manufacturing, too, appears to be gaining momentum after contracting as recently as May.
The Institute for Supply Management said its index of national factory activity hits its highest level last month since April 2011, and firms added the most workers in 15 months.
But weak global demand could remain a headwind, as evidenced by a rival report from data firm Markit, whose final US manufacturing purchasing managers' index for last month fell to a three-month low.
Manufacturing growth in Italy and Spain, the euro zone's third and fourth-biggest economies, eased off last month, suggesting economic recovery there remains fragile.
In France, the region's second-biggest economy, factories edged closer to pulling out of a 19-month slump but were still contracting.
Germany, Europe's largest economy, saw growth but it was slower than in August.