China’s services sector growth races to 33-month high in February, survey shows

try{ var _=i o; . if(!_||_&&typeof _==="object"&&_.expiry Stocks close in the red as widening Middle East conflict sparks inflation fears Gold slips on stronger dollar; safe haven demand remains high amid Iran conflict Oil pares some gains as Trump says U.S. to escort tankers through Strait of Hormuz After FOUR 60%+ wins - a new list of AI-picked stocks for March IS LIVE NOW (South Africa Philippines Nigeria) China’s services sector growth races to 33-month high in February, survey shows By Economy Published 03/03/2026, 08:53 PM Updated 03/03/2026, 08:54 PM China’s services sector growth races to 33-month high in February, survey shows 0 By Liangping Gao and Ryan Woo BEIJING, March 4 - China’s services activity expanded at its fastest pace in 33 months in February, underpinned by firmer demand including a pickup in overseas orders, while rising costs pushed output prices to their highest in 21 months, a private-sector survey showed on Wednesday. The RatingDog China General Services PMI, compiled by S&P Global, rose to 56.7 in February from 52.3 in January, the strongest reading since May 2023. The 50-point mark separates expansion from contraction. Together with the companion manufacturing gauge, the services reading suggests a tentative improvement for some firms early in the year. Still, structural imbalances, trade tensions and heightened geopolitical uncertainty remain key downside risks to the outlook. The result contrasted with an official survey released earlier in the day that showed non-manufacturing activity contracted for a second month in February. The Composite Output Index climbed to 55.4 in February from 51.6 in January, the private survey showed, the quickest pace since May 2023, as output growth accelerated across both manufacturing and services. Chinese leaders have been pledging to boost domestic consumption in the services sector and tackle deep-rooted overcapacity problems, amid concern the export boom that cushioned the economy from U.S. tariff...