(Yicai Global) Sept. 30 -- China's factory activity continued to expand this month to a six-month high, according to official figures.

The purchasing managers' index for manufacturing, which tracks mostly large and state-backed firms, moved up to 51.5 in September from 51 last month, data released by the National Bureau of Statistics showed today. A reading above 50 signals expansion.

The PMI for the non-manufacturing sector came in at 55.9, up from 55.2 in August, the NBS said.

The Caixin manufacturing PMI, the result of a private survey that was also published today, slipped to 53 in September from 53.1 in August. Also known as the Caixin-Markit PMI, it monitors 500 companies that are typically smaller and privately owned.

Editor: Ben Armour