SHANGHAI, China, March 27 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Xinhua Finance (TSE Mothers: 9399) and Market News International (MNI), a part of the news service line of Xinhua Finance, today announced the March Xinhua Finance/MNI China Business Sentiment Survey. The results of the survey indicate that overall Chinese business conditions rebounded in March from the snowstorm-depressed reading in February, while companies are increasingly raising prices to offset surging costs.

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The data, as well as comments from companies that took part in the survey, indicate that Chinese companies have largely recovered from the storms, with indexes measuring production and new orders rising from February levels. The new orders index hit its highest level since October last year.

The overall conditions index rose to 65.69, up from last month's record low at 60.31 and just below January's 67.72. The index showing expectations for business conditions in three months stood at 71.53, largely unchanged from February's 71.65.

The input price index fell only slightly from February's record high, while the index measuring prices received rose to a record high for the third month in a row.

The monthly survey was conducted March 10-25.

Since its inception in January, 2005, the survey has accurately tracked and predicted overall Chinese economic conditions, providing important intelligence ahead of government data. The survey has been especially important in indicating turnarounds in the economy.

To receive a full version of the survey, or to find out more about Xinhua Finance and Market News International, please contact us via mni@xinhuafinance.com

    Notes to Editors:

    About Xinhua Finance Limited

Xinhua Finance Limited ("XFL") is China's premier financial information and media service provider and is listed on the Mothers Board of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (symbol: 9399) (OTC ADRs: XHFNY). Bridging China's financial markets and the world, Xinhua Finance's proprietary content platform, comprising Indices, Ratings, Financial News, and Investor Relations, serves financial institutions, corporations and re-distributors worldwide. Through its subsidiary Xinhua Finance Media Limited (NASDAQ: XFML), XFL leverages its content across multiple distribution channels in China including television, radio, newspaper, magazine and outdoor media. Founded in November 1999, XFL is headquartered in Shanghai, with offices and news bureaus spanning 11 countries worldwide.

    For more information, please visit http://www.xinhuafinance.com .

    About Market News International

Market News International (MNI), a Xinhua Finance company ( http://www.xinhuafinance.com ), is a financial news and information company dedicated to the global fixed income and foreign exchange markets. MNI joined the Xinhua Finance family in March 2004, bringing its niche expertise and extensive distribution network. Headquartered in New York, MNI has news bureaus and offices throughout the US, Europe and Asia.

With more than twenty years of history, MNI is a fully accredited news agency providing focused, timely, relevant and critical intelligence for market professionals. Its press credentials are accepted by all operations of the U.S. Government, including the White House, the Federal Reserve, both houses of Congress, all major agencies and cabinet departments, all similar government operations in the G-7 countries, as well as by supranational organizations such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

    For more information, please contact:

    Xinhua Finance
     Hong Kong/Shanghai
     Ms. Joy Tsang
     Tel:   +852-3196-3983 /+852-9486-4364 /+86-21-6113-5999
     Email: joy.tsang@xinhuafinance.com

     Mr. Scott Zhang
     Tel:   +86-21-6113-5996
     Email: scott.zhang@xinhuafinance.com

SOURCE Xinhua Finance Limited; Market News International

Xinhua Finance - Hong Kong/Shanghai
 Ms. Joy Tsang
 +852-3196- 3983 /+852-9486-4364 /+86-21-6113-5999
 or joy.tsang@xinhuafinance.com; or Mr. Scott Zhang
 +86-21-6113-5996
 or scott.zhang@xinhuafinance.com