Financial Markets: National Bureau of Statistics

National Bureau of Statistics: The official Purchasing Managers' Index PMI edged down to 50.5 in January from December's 51, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Saturday, in line with market expectations, according to Reuters. Emerging market stocks and currencies were sold off in the past week as investors cut financial bets in developing nations, in anticipation that the United States will continue to move to less easy monetary policy. Super-easy U.S. policy had spurred a flow of cash into emerging markets in recent years and China's factory growth eased to an expected six-month low in January, hurt by weaker local and foreign demand, a survey showed, a soft start for the year that heightens worries of an economic slowdown. The change reinforces concerns that China's economy is stuttering and could drag on financial markets on Monday as global investors, already nervous about capital flight in emerging markets, find another reason to sell riskier assets. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.