The Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) of China's manufacturing sector stood at 55.2 percent in November, unchanged from the previous month, the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP) said on Tuesday.

It was the ninth straight month that the PMI reading stayed above 50.

A reading of above 50 suggests expansion, while one below 50 indicates contraction. The PMI includes a package of indices that measure economic performance.

In November, new order index and output index both held steady from figures in the previous month at 58.4 percent and 59.4 percent, respectively.

New export order index was 53.6 percent, down by 0.9 percentage points compared to November while purchasing price index rose by 6.5 percentage points to 63.4 percent.

Only three out of the 20 surveyed sectors reported a PMI index reading below 50, which were paper making and printing, oil processing, and beverages making.

(Xinhua News Agency December 1, 2009)