Manufacturing activity in the Mainland expanded for the ninth consecutive month in April, Xinhua reports.

The Government-run news agency quotes data released on Sunday by the National Bureau of Statistics of China.

Official data showed the country’s purchasing managers’ index (PMI) for the manufacturing sector reached 51.2 last month, easing from 51.8 in March.

Senior bureau statistician Zhao Qinghe was quoted as saying last month’s easing was partly due to sluggish growth in demand and supply. A reading above 50 indicates expansion, while a figure bellow that value shows a contraction.

Non-manufacturing PMI also continued its expansion last month. It eased from 55.1 in March to a reading of 54, Xinhua reports.