BEIJING — The purchasing managers' index (PMI) for China's non-manufacturing sector came in at 53.8 in August, up from 53.7 in July, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said on Aug 31.

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

A breakdown showed the service sector activity moderated slightly, with the sub-index down 0.4 points to 52.5, as adverse weather conditions took a toll on industries including airlines, hotels, catering and tourism, NBS senior statistician Zhao Qinghe said.

Despite the moderation, the sub-index of service-sector business expectations, a gauge of companies' confidence toward the prospects of future operations, climbed 0.7 points to 59.8.

Rapid expansion was seen in sectors such as railway transport, telecommunications and software, with their sub-readings having stayed above 58.

Construction sector rallied with the sub-index climbing 3 points to 61.2 in Aug, according to the NBS.

Data released on Aug 31 also showed that China's manufacturing PMI dipped to 49.5 in August from 49.7 in July. The composite PMI edged down 0.1 point to 53.