Growth in China’s July services activity speeds up

Growth in China’s services sector accelerated in July, a private survey showed on Wednesday, although the spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant across the country threatens to undercut the recovery in the world’s second-biggest economy.

The Caixin/Markit services Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI)rose to 54.9 in July, the highest since May and up from 50.3 the previous month. The 50-point mark separates growth from contraction on a monthly basis.

The better readings in the private survey, which focuses more on smaller firms in coastal regions, stood in contrast with findings in an official survey on Saturday which showed growth in the services sector retreat slightly in July.

China’s services sector has been slower to recover from the pandemic than manufacturing, but has been helped by a gradual improvement in consumption in recent months. A rise in domestic coronavirus infections, however, is threatening to hurt the economy’s steady recovery.