BEIJING, Aug. 27 -- Profits of China's major industrial firms increased 3.6 percent year on year in the first seven months of the year, official data showed Tuesday.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the growth rate quickened from the 3.5 percent increase registered in the January-June period.

The combined profits of industrial firms with an annual main business revenue of at least 20 million yuan (about 2.81 million U.S. dollars) totaled 4.099 trillion yuan in the first seven months.

In July alone, profits of major industrial firms rose 4.1 percent compared to a year earlier, according to the NBS.