Manufacturing stays on stable footing in August

Index rose to 51.7 last month from 51.4 in July, amid tighter regulation, rising profits

China's manufacturing sector activity, measured by the Purchasing Managers' Index, continued to improve in August, and analysts said the rising index shows the economy remains on track and the country may register stable growth in the third quarter.

The index, which reflects market players' expectations of the health of manufacturing industries, rose to 51.7 last month from 51.4 in July, according to the National Bureau of Statistics on Thursday.