BEIJING - The purchasing managers' index (PMI) for China's manufacturing sector stood at 49.8 in September, up 0.4 percentage points from the previous month, official data showed Tuesday.

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

"The figure showed that in September, production activities in the manufacturing sector accelerated, with the overall business climate continuing to improve," said Huo Lihui, a chief statistician with the National Bureau of Statistics.

The sub-index for production stood at 51.9, up 1.1 percentage points from August and hitting a six-month high.

On the demand side, the sub-index for new orders came in at 49.7, up from 49.5 in the previous month.

Some key sectors maintained growth momentum, with PMI for equipment manufacturing and high-tech manufacturing standing at 51.9 and 51.6, respectively.

Tuesday's data also showed a more positive market outlook, with the sub-index for production and business activity expectations reaching 54.1, up from 53.7 in August.

"This marks the third consecutive month of growth for the sub-index, indicating that manufacturing companies are upbeat on market development," Huo said.