The manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) stood at 50.1 in December, up from 49.2 the previous month, according to data released on Wednesday by the National Bureau of Statistics.
The reading exceeded a projection of 49.6 from economists polled by the financial data provider Wind.
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The monthly index compiles survey data given by supply chain managers from a variety of sectors. A reading above 50 suggests expansion, while one below 50 indicates contraction.
“Both production and demand rebounded significantly,” said Huo Lihui, chief statistician at the bureau’s service industry survey centre.
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She added that stockpiling ahead of the holidays had bolstered the outlook for certain food and beverage-related industries.
