[Ferro-Alloys.com] The purchasing managers' index (PMI) for China's manufacturing sector came in at 51.1 in April, slightly down from 51.9 of March, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed Friday.

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

The manufacturing sector maintained steady growth in April, NBS senior statistician Zhao Qinghe said.

China's manufacturing activities expanded at a slightly slower pace in April, as indicated by the purchasing managers' index falling to 51.1 last month from 51.9 in March, National Bureau of Statistics data showed on Friday.

But the index still remained well within the expansion territory on a monthly basis, being above the 50-point benchmark that separates growth from contraction. The index has remained above 50 for 14 consecutive months.

The PMI for large businesses and medium-sized enterprises stood at 51.7 and 50.3, respectively, both having dipped from the March levels. The PMI for small firms was 50.8, up 0.4 percentage points from March.

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