BEIJING — The purchasing managers' index (PMI) for China's non-manufacturing sector came in at 54.9 in April, down 1.4 percentage points from the March figure, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said on April 30.

A reading above 50 indicates expansion, while a reading below reflects contraction.

The expansion of the non-manufacturing sector continued to gather momentum but at a slower pace, said senior NBS statistician Zhao Qinghe.

In April, the sub-index for business activities in the services sector stood at 54.4, down from 55.2 in March.

The sub-indexes for business activities in rail services, air transportation and accommodation came in at above 65, indicating the rapid growth of business volumes in these areas, according to Zhao.

The statistician said that business activities related to the consumer market had warmed further due to holiday factors and effective COVID-19 control.

The sub-indexes for business activities related to the catering services, ecological protection and entertainment industries all rose from their levels in the previous month.

NBS data also points to an improved climate in China's construction industry as activities picked up, with the sub-index for business activities at 57.4 in April.

The sub-index tracking business activity expectations for the industry hit 64.8, remaining above 60 for the third consecutive month, showing the confidence of construction enterprises.

The data on April 30 also showed that the PMI for China's manufacturing sector came in at 51.1 in April, slightly down from 51.9 in March.