U.S. final manufacturing PMI at 51.9 in June

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch)
 The final reading of the Markit U.S. manufacturing purchasing managers index was 51.9 in June, worse than the flash reading of 52.2 and down from a reading of 52.3 in May
This is the slowest rate of growth since last October
Output expanded to 53.5 in June from 52.7 in the prior month
But the employment gauge moved into contraction territory at 49.9 from 52.6 in the prior month
The final euro-zone manufacturing purchasing managers index showed a 16-month high of 48.8 in June, which was revised slightly higher from a prior reading of 48.7, Markit said
A pair of surveys showed further slowing in Chinese manufacturing activity in June
The report from the Chinese government showed the manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) dropped to 50.1 from 50.8 in May
A separate survey from HSBC showed its own monthly PMI declining to 48.2 in June from 49.2 in May