Beijing: The purchasing managers' index (PMI) for China's non-manufacturing sector reached 50.4 in February, marking an increase of 0.2 percentage points from January and remaining in the expansion zone, as per official data released on Saturday. A PMI reading above 50 signifies expansion, while a reading below this threshold indicates contraction.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported that the sub-index for the service sector was 50.0 in February, experiencing a decrease of 0.3 percentage points from the previous month. The decline in business activity indices for sectors connected to consumer spending, such as retail, accommodation, and catering, was attributed to intensive purchasing before the Spring Festival holiday and diminishing holiday effects afterward, explained NBS statistician Zhao Qinghe.

In contrast, business activity indices in sectors like air transport, postal services, telecommunications, radio, television, satellite transmission services, monetary and financial services, and capital market services remained robust, with readings above 55 in February, indicating strong growth in overall business volume.

The construction sub-index showed notable improvement, registering at 52.7 in February, which is an increase of 3.4 percentage points from January, according to NBS data. Additionally, the manufacturing PMI for February was reported at 50.2, reflecting a rise of 1.1 percentage points from the previous month.