<span>STORY: Manufacturing was weak in Europe and Asia’s largest economies in November.</span><span>That’s according to key business surveys released Monday, December 1.</span><span>Analysts blamed the decrease in domestic demand and tariff uncertainties.</span><span>The closely watched Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) showed manufacturing activity contracted in the euro zone, China and Japan last month.</span><span>But there were bright spots of growth for some economies in Britain and Southeast Asia.</span><span>Manufacturing activity in the Eurozone started to contract again.</span><span>Germany’s dominant manufacturing sector has seen a marked decline in business conditions, with new orders falling at the fastest rate in 10 months.</span><span>Meanwhile, the French manufacturing industry contracted further in November due to the decline in production and slowing demand for the sector.</span><span>In England, there was an increase in activity for the first time since September last year.</span><span>Domestic demand increased and there was less slowdown in orders from abroad.</span><span>PMI showed that factory activity in China returned to a slight contraction.</span><span>The figure was released a day after Beijing’s official measure showed activity fell for an eighth consecutive month.</span><span>Asia’s other manufacturing powerhouses also struggled with sluggish demand in November.</span><span>Progress in US trade negotiations has not led to a significant improvement in orders to the region.</span><span>Japan’s PMI showed that new orders continued to fall and the decline spanned two and a half years.</span><span>South Korea’s factory activities also contracted for the second month in November.</span>
