BEIJING — The purchasing managers' index (PMI) for China's non-manufacturing sector came in at 52.4 in October, down from 53.2 in September, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said on Oct 31.

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

Business activities in the non-manufacturing sector continued expansion, but at a slower pace, according to NBS senior statistician Zhao Qinghe.

In October, the sub-index for business activities in the services sector stood at 51.6, down 0.8 percentage points from that in September.

Sectors such as accommodation, catering and entertainment, recorded marked increases in business volume, driven by the week-long National Day holiday in early October. Their sub-indexes for business activities all stood above 55, according to the NBS.

Data on Oct 31 also showed that the PMI for China's manufacturing sector came in at 49.2 in October, down from 49.6 in September.