SYDNEY, Jan 2 Reuters Asia39;s factory activity weakened in December, portending a shaky start for the region39;s manufacturing powerhouses in 2024 as China39;s patchy economic recovery impeded a broader revival in demand.

A range of purchasing managers39; indexes PMIs published by SP Global on Tuesday showed factory activity continuing to decline in most Asian economies at the end of last year and confidence broadly sagging.

The struggles for Asia39;s techheavy economies persisted with South Korean factory activity dipping back into decline and Taiwan extending its contraction for the 19th straight month, the PMIs showed.

China39;s Caixin PMI showed an unexpected acceleration in activity in December, although this contrasted with Beijing39;s official PMI released on Sunday that remained in contraction territory for the third straight month.

The mixed economic prospects for China continue to cloud the outlook for its major trading partners.

Overall, the economic outlook for China39;s manufacturing sector continued to improve in December, with supply and demand expanding and price levels remaining stable, Wang Zhe, Senior economist at Caixin Insight Group said.

However, employment remained a significant challenge, and businesses expressed concerns about the future, remaining cautious in areas including hiring, raw material purchasing, and inventory management.

Beijing has in recent months introduced a series of policies to shore up a feeble postpandemic recovery,…