The purchasing managers' index (PMI) for China's non-manufacturing sector came in at 50.1 in May, an increase of 0.7 percentage points from the previous month, official data revealed. In May, the sub-index for business activity in the service sector stood at 50.3 percent, rising into the expansion zone, up 0.7 percentage points from the previous month, according to data jointly released by the National Bureau of Statistics and the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing.

While air transport and real estate sectors saw subdued market activity this month, railway transport, and telecom, broadcasting and satellite transmission services, as well as the insurance sector, remained in the high-prosperity zone with a rapid expansion in overall business volume, the data showed.

The business expectation index for the service sector stood at 55.4 in May, indicating a strengthened outlook for positive market developments.

The sub-index for business activity in the construction sector rose 0.8 percentage points to 48.8 this month, with the business expectation index expanding 1 percentage point to 51.5. (Xinhua)