The help was needed given profits at China’s industrial firms fell 6.7% in July from a year earlier, extending this year’s slump to a seventh month. Chinese blue chips shed 2% last week to hit its lows for the year so far, and all eyes will be on the official PMI for August out on Thursday. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan firmed 0.2%, having eked out minor gains last week to break a three-week losing streak.
