BEIJING, March 3 -- Chinese enterprises maintained a sound overall credit standing in January, the State Administration for Market Regulation said on Tuesday.

The China Enterprise Credit Index, released by the administration, stood at 161.79 in January, edging down 0.53 points month on month but remaining in a high range, indicating sustained positive corporate creditworthiness.

Sub-indices tracking corporate reliability, operational capacity and connectivity held steady during the month. However, slight declines were seen in financial standing, regulatory compliance and supervisory metrics.

Data also showed that two-thirds of industries posted month-on-month gains in their credit indices in January. Sectors such as utilities, transportation, warehousing and postal services have recorded consecutive gains over the past three months, pointing to continued improvements in the credit environment for industries closely linked to people's livelihoods.