Factory output growth eased in India and China in December, but strengthened in South Korea and Taiwan, narrowing a gap in manufacturing activity between much of developing Asia and the region’s emerging economic giants.

　　中国与印度12月制造业产出增长放缓，但韩国与台湾增速提高，从而缩小了亚洲大多数发展中经济体与新兴经济巨人之间在制造业活动方面的差距。

　　Manufacturing business conditions picked up strongly in Taiwan and improved at the fastest rate in seven months in South Korea, according to purchasing managers’ index data published on Monday by HSBC and Markit, the economics consultancy.

　　汇丰(HSBC)与经济咨询公司Markit周一发布的采购经理人指数(PMI)表明，台湾的制造业商业环境强劲反弹，韩国则出现了7个月来最大幅度的改善。

　　In India, the HSBC PMI eased slightly from its high in November, although it remained strong by historical standards.

　　在印度，汇丰PMI较11月份的高点稍有下降，但按照历史水准衡量仍然处于高位。

　　The data follow December PMI announcements last week for China, which showed continuing strong growth only slightly slower than in November, and for Japan, where the rate of contraction in factory output was the slowest for three months.

　　上周，汇丰刚刚公布了中国和日本的12月份PMI数据，中国依然显示出强劲增长，仅较11月份略有放缓，而日本制造业产出的萎缩幅度为3个月来最小。

　　China and India had previously shown signs of accelerating away from the rest of emerging Asia, with strong manufacturing growth in November contrasting with weak or flat data elsewhere.

　　之前，中国和印度都呈现出加速发展、与亚洲其它新兴经济体距离越拉越远的态势：11月份中印制造业增长势头强劲，而其它地区的数据较为疲软或平缓。

　　In the eurozone, PMI data showed an improvement in manufacturing spreading from the so-called “core” economies, led by Germany, to the “periphery” countries such as Ireland and Spain which have so far lagged behind in the economic recovery.

　　欧元区的PMI数据显示，制造业的改善正在从以德国为首的所谓“核心”经济体，向爱尔兰和西班牙等“外围”国家扩散。迄今为止，“外围”国家在经济复苏中一直处于落后水平。

　　The US manufacturing sector also grew in December – for the 17th straight month – boosting hopes that the economic recovery is gathering pace.

　　美国12月制造业活动也连续第17个月出现增长，提振了经济复苏正在加速的希望。

　　The renewed strength of the factory sectors in South Korea and Taiwan, combined with continued expansion in India and China and other signs of accelerating economic activity, will add to concerns that inflation may be about to take off across the region.

　　韩国与台湾制造业重获活力，加上印度与中国的持续增长，以及经济活动加速的其它迹象，都将加剧通货膨胀可能在亚洲各国抬头的担忧。

　　Leif Eskesen, India chief economist at HSBC in Singapore, said the data from New Delhi suggested the Reserve Bank of India would raise interest rates again sooner rather than later. “The [India] PMI numbers show that the economy remains in high gear, but this is becoming increasingly difficult to reconcile with a comfortable level of inflation,” he said.

　　汇丰驻新加坡首席印度经济学家雷夫•埃斯克森(Leif Eskesen)表示，来自新德里的数据表明，印度央行(RBI)将提前而非推迟再次加息。“（印度的）PMI数据显示，经济仍保持高速增长，但这越来越难以与令人舒适的通胀水平相调和，”他表示。

　　The Chinese central bank raised official interest rates on Christmas day, the second rise in a few weeks, and other Asian central banks are expected to follow if data due during the next few weeks confirm the general picture of renewed economic growth.

　　中国央行在圣诞节当天宣布了几周内的第二次加息。如果定于未来几周发布的经济数据证实经济增长正普遍复苏，预期亚洲其它国家央行也会采取同样举措。