China's manufacturing PMI edges down to 49.6 in Sept

BEIJING -- The purchasing managers' index for China's manufacturing sector came in at 49.6 in September, edging down from 50.1 in August, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed Thursday.

The PMI for China's non-manufacturing sector came in at 53.2 in September, up from 47.5 in August, the National Bureau of Statistics said Thursday.

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