The official manufacturing Purchasing Manager’s Index (PMI) rose to 52.1 in November from 51.4 in October, data from the national Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed on Monday, remaining above the 50-point mark that separates growth from contraction. Analysts had expected it to rise slightly to 51.5. China’s vast industrial sector is steadily returning to pre-pandemic levels as pent-up demand, stimulus-driven infrastructure expansion and resilient exports propel a recovery. Industrial output rose more than expected in October, while retail demand continues to rebound. (Reporting by Stella Qiu and Ryan Woo; Editing by Sam Holmes)