BEIJING, April 30 -- The purchasing managers' index (PMI) for China's manufacturing sector came in at 49 in April, down from 50.5 in March, official data showed Wednesday.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) statistician Zhao Qinghe said the PMI data in April were influenced by factors such as the high base effect formed by the relatively rapid growth of the manufacturing sector in the previous period and the drastic changes in the external environment.

The NBS data showed that the sub-indices of production and new orders came in at 49.8 and 49.2, respectively.

The PMI for the high-tech manufacturing sector came in at 51.5 in April, higher than that of the overall manufacturing sector, indicating that high-tech manufacturing maintained a positive growth trend.

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