Manufacturing purchasing managers Index for August dips to 15-month low

The bleak data strengthened the case for an additional policy easing by South Korea's central bank, soon after a surprise interest rate cut in July.

Expansion in India's manufacturing sector hit its slowest in 15 months in August as demand and output grew at their weakest pace in a year and cost pressures increased, a private sector survey showed on Monday.

While an index of new export orders rose to the highest since March, it remained in contraction for the ninth month, the longest such run since an 11-month spell from April 2012 to February 2013.

China's official manufacturing PMI, released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Saturday, fell to 49.5 in August from July's reading of 49.7.

The headline IHS Markit/Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply Purchasing Managers' Indexfell to 47.4 in August from 48.0 in July.

"Euro zone producers are suffering as the summer slump in factory production persisted into August".

The economy has managed to weather the uncertainty created by the June 2016 vote by Britain, its near neighbour and close trading partner, to leave the European Union, although data last week showed some moderation in the rapid pace of jobs growth.

New orders fell steeply across consumer goods industries, with manufacturers linking the slump to weaker domestic and global economic conditions, low market concerns and Brexit confidence.