Manufacturing activity in the Mainland expanded for the fifth month in a row last month, further indicating that the economy is more stable, Xinhua reports.

The Chinese state-run news agency, citing the National Bureau of Statistics, says the Purchasing Managers Index for manufacturing fell to 51.4 points last month from 51.7 the month before. A figure above 50 points indicates an expansion in activity, while a figure below 50 indicates contraction.

The report quotes a researcher for the State Council’s Development Research Center, Zhang Liqun, as saying the December reading again shows the tendency of the Chinese economy to become more stable.

The National Bureau of Statistics says the official non-manufacturing PMI fell to 54.5 points last month from 54.7 the month before, Xinhua reports.