China’s factory activity rebounds as anti-virus curbs ease

BEIJING (AP) — China’s factory output rebounded in May, adding to a recovery from the latest economic slump induced by COVID-19 curbs. Government data show industrial production rose 0.7% over a year earlier, recovering from April’s 2.9% contraction. Consumer spending edged up compared with April but was lower than a year ago. Exercising the ruling Communist Party’s “zero-COVID” strategy, authorities in Shanghai and other industrial cities shut down businesses and or imposed other restrictions starting in late March. That fueled fears global manufacturing and trade might be disrupted. The measures have mostly been eased across China, but economic activity is expected to need weeks to recover.