China iron ore futures pick up after factory activity unexpectedly expands

Chinese iron-ore futures picked up in early trade on Tuesday, rising more than 1% on demand hopes after the world’s second-biggest economy reported an unexpected growth in its factory activities in March.

China’s official Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) jumped to 52 this month from a record low in February, beating analysts’ expectations of 45.0, the National Bureau of Statistics said.