This photo taken on February 28, 2018 shows people visiting a lantern show ahead of the Chinese lantern festival in Nanjing in China's eastern Jiangsu province. The traditional lantern festival falls on March 2 this year, which formally marks the end of celebrations for the Chinese Lunar New Year period. Pic/AFP

In lieu of Lunar New Year holidays, China reported a 19-month dip in its official manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index. As per reports, China's National Bureau of Statistics said the PMI for the month of February was capped at 50.3, down from 51.3 in January, thus indicating possible contraction of growth.