Microblog insights

Topic 1: The employment market in China continues to be in a depression according to the HSBC China Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index. It dipped to 47.8 for August from July's 49.3, continuing a 10-month string of results below the 50 level, which separates growth from contraction, according to The Wall Street Journal. The PMI is a preliminary gauge of manufacturing industry and hiring. The PMI survey's employment sub-index was 47.7 in August, almost the same as July, showing that firms are laying off workers for the sixth consecutive month.

DORSONN: In Dongguan, Guangdong province, many enterprises still find it hard to recruit enough employees.

GRACERYH It is unlikely the economy will survive long if it simply depends on the financial and property markets when manufacturing is showing continued weak activity.