ALBAWABA – Although it remains below the contraction threshold, China’s factory activity picked up slightly in August, sparking hope that the world’s second-largest economy will soon begin to recover, news agencies reported. The latest China manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI), for August, rose to 49.7, topping estimates and edging closer to the 50 points threshold, Bloomberg reported. According to Reuters, forecasts placed the august manufacturing PMI at 49.4. PMI scores ...