Though readings above 50 still indicate an expansion in activity, the fall was more precipitous than economists projected, with the October reading at the lowest since July 2016. “Overall, the data confirms that economic fundamentals are weakening. I’m afraid the softness will remain for a long period of time,” said Yang Weixiao, an economist at Founder Securities. Indicators and other economic data in recent weeks have shown that the Chinese economy is slipping faster than many officials expected , spurring the government to move to support growth and talk up the stock markets. Related Asian markets, buoyed by a rebound on U.S. exchanges overnight, appeared to shrug off the fall in factory activity, with shares in Shanghai falling initially and then rising by midmorning Wednesday. A weeklong national holiday and rising uncertainties about conditions outside of China were among the reasons for the slower expansion in factory activity, said […]