China's Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for the manufacturing sector fell for a second month to 50.1 percent in February from 50.4 percent in January, according to data released Friday.
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The China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP) said in a statement on its website that the drop is mainly due to the weeklong Spring Festival holiday that fell in last month.
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The Spring Festival, or China's lunar new year, is the country's most important traditional holiday for family reunions. This year, Chinese people enjoyed a holiday from Feb 9 to 15.
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At present, China's industrial production is generally steady at present and companies are relatively optimistic about future economic prospects, the statement said.
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"In general, the country's economy is still on the course of stabilization," according to the CFLP.
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The February figure marked the fifth consecutive month that the PMI stayed above 50 percent, which demarcates expansion from contraction, CFLP data showed.Â