(Yicai Global) Jan. 31 -- China's manufacturing and  non-manufacturing purchasing managers' indexes both recovered this  month compared with December, indicating better overall economic  conditions, statistics show.

The comprehensive PMI index in January, which  combines manufacturing and non-manufacturing sectors is 53.4, 0.6 point  higher than last month, indicating overall business activities improved,  according to China's National Bureau of Statistics. 

China's manufacturing PMI was 49.5 this month, up  0.1 point over last month, while the non-manufacturing business activity  index was 54.7, a rise of 0.9, the data also shows.

China's manufacturing PMI index was 49.4 in December, the lowest point since July 2016.

The PMI index is a survey of businesses in a specific industry about the operating environment. A reading above 50 signals expansion in the sector, while one below 50 represents contraction.