Manufacturing activity in China slowed in June, given weak demand in domestic and overseas markets, said the National Bureau of Statistics of China.

The bureau announced last week the manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) stood at 50 in June, down from 50.1 in the previous month. A reading above 50 indicates expansion of activity, while a level below 50 means contraction.

Zhao Qinghe, a senior technician at the bureau, said in a statement accompanying the results that the decline was due to “the persistently sluggish demand in both domestic and overseas markets”. But he emphasised the manufacturing sector remained generally steady.

The sub-index for high-tech manufacturing was 51.3 in June, 0.5 percentage points higher than the one in May, he added.

The bureau also announced last week the services PMI increased by 0.6 percentage points from the previous month, to 53.7 in June.