China’s economy shows further signs of slowing–and Beijing announces very limited stimulus

The preliminary survey of purchasing managers conducted by Markit Economics and HSBC Holdings showed that China’s manufacturing sector fell to 47.7 on this index in July. Anything below 50 on this index indicates contraction. The reading is the lowest in 11 months (The official government purchasing managers index, which includes a wider sample of manufacturing companies, is due on August 1.)

In Tokyo a stock market pause before Sunday’s elections

The Nikkei 225 index fell 1.48% overnight in Tokyo on profit taking before Sunday’s election for the upper house of Japan’s parliament. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s coalition is projected to cruise to an easy victory giving the government control of both houses of parliament and a clear path for pushing forward Abe’s economic program.