China’s Services Activity Shrinks Further in March, Job Cuts Fastest on Record

China’s Services Activity Shrinks Further in March, Job Cuts Fastest on Record
A waiter cleans the floor of a restaurant after closing hours in Beijing, China on Oct. 28, 2019. Thomas Peter/Reuters
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BEIJING—China’s services sector struggled to get back on its feet in March after a brutal month of unprecedented shop closures and public lockdowns amid the coronavirus outbreak, a private survey showed on April 3.

Services companies cut jobs at the fastest pace on record as orders plunged for the second straight month and businesses scrambled to reduce their operating costs. Export orders also slumped again as more countries imposed their own tough virus containment measures.