Manufacturing Sector - February Manufacturing PMI decreased to 49.0%, down 0.3 percentage points from January, marking the second consecutive month below the threshold of 50[1] - Production index fell by 1.0 percentage points to 49.6%, while new orders dropped by 0.6 percentage points to 48.6%, contributing to a combined PMI decline of 0.43 percentage points[1][2] - Historical data shows that similar February declines in manufacturing production ranged from -0.3 to -2.8 percentage points in previous years, with this year's decline aligning closely with the average[2] Construction Sector - The construction business activity index fell by 0.6 percentage points to 48.8%, while new orders rebounded by 2.1 percentage points to 42.2%[2] - The decline in construction activity is attributed to the impact of the Spring Festival, which caused project delays due to employee returns home[2] Services Sector - The services PMI increased by 0.2 percentage points to 49.7%, remaining below 50 for the fourth consecutive month[3] - New orders in the services sector saw a significant drop of 1.4 percentage points to 45.7%, indicating that the PMI increase was primarily driven by short-term holiday effects rather than sustained demand recovery[3] Price Trends - Manufacturing output prices remained stable at 50.6%, suggesting that the Producer Price Index (PPI) may still show positive month-on-month changes[4] - The purchasing prices for raw materials in manufacturing decreased by 1.3 percentage points to 54.8%, indicating a narrowing gap between raw material costs and finished product prices, which could pressure downstream profits[4] Economic Outlook - The overall PMI indicates a year-on-year economic slowdown at the beginning of the year, with a composite PMI of 49.5%, down 0.3 percentage points from January[4] - The weighted new orders for both manufacturing and non-manufacturing sectors fell by 0.8 percentage points to 46.4%, matching levels seen in April of the previous year[4] - The upcoming Two Sessions are expected to provide clarity on economic policy direction, particularly regarding fiscal deficit rates and special bond issuance[4][5]

Core Viewpoint - Palm oil futures are experiencing a strong oscillation, with the main contract reaching a peak of 8866.00 yuan and currently trading at 8772.00 yuan, reflecting a 1.32% increase [1]. Group 1: Market Analysis - Zhengxin Futures indicates that palm oil continues its oscillating strong trend, supported by a decrease in production and an increase in exports as reported in the MPOB December report, which noted a month-end inventory of 3.05 million tons [2]. - Copper Crown Jin Yuan Futures anticipates a short-term strengthening of palm oil prices, citing macroeconomic factors such as the investigation into the Federal Reserve Chairman and geopolitical tensions in Iran, which have contributed to rising oil prices [3]. - Hualian Futures expects domestic oilseeds to maintain a strong oscillating trend, with signs of improvement in palm oil exports in January and potential favorable developments regarding Canadian canola tariffs [3]. Group 2: Inventory and Production Insights - The MPOB report indicates that Malaysia's palm oil ending inventory for December was 3.05 million tons, slightly above expectations, but the market has absorbed this bearish news [3]. - High-frequency data shows a reduction in Malaysian palm oil production and an increase in demand in early January, which is expected to improve supply-demand dynamics and support price recovery [3].