Manufacturing contracts slightly

Consumer goods buck trend as only category to see production growth

China's manufacturing sector contracted slightly in June according to the latest purchasing managers indexes, but factory activity may pick up later given the indexes' structural improvements and potential policies to boost consumption, analysts said on Monday.

The manufacturing Caixin/Markit PMI, released on Monday, slid to a five-month low of 49.4 in June, down from 50.2 in May and below the 50-mark that divides expansion from contraction.