December's factory activity numbers just came through for China, and there's a noticeable pickup in momentum. Orders are rebounding pretty solidly as we head into the holiday season—businesses seem to be getting ahead of the curve with procurement and production schedules.

What's interesting here is the timing. With year-end demand patterns and the pre-holiday rush factoring in, we're seeing manufacturing sentiment shift more positive. For traders and macro observers, this kind of economic data matters because industrial activity often correlates with risk appetite in broader financial markets.

When factory orders strengthen, it typically signals confidence in near-term demand. Whether this momentum sustains past the holidays will be worth watching—could signal something about 2025's economic trajectory and how risk assets might perform as we move forward.