Asia’s factory activity falls in May as US tariffs bite

Asia's factory activity shrank in May as soft demand in China and the impact of US tariffs took a heavy toll on companies, private surveys showed yesterday, highlighting the darkening outlook for the once fast-growing region.

- LEIKA KIHARA

Trade-reliant Japan and South Korea continued to see manufacturing activity contract in May as US President Donald Trump's automobile tariffs cloud the outlook for exports.

Adding to the gloom, an official survey on Saturday showed China's manufacturing activity shrank in May for a second month in a sign of weakness in the world’s second-largest economy.

With many Asian economies making little progress in trade negotiations with the US, uncertainty will likely keep companies from boosting production or spending, analysts said.