China’s services sector maintained its expansionary momentum at the start of 2026, with the RatingDog Services Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) edging up to 52.3 in January from 52.0 in December 2025.
The January reading, released on 4 February 2026, signals a modest strengthening in services activity, as values above 50 indicate expansion. The slight uptick suggests that China’s services economy continued to grow, albeit at a measured pace, into the new year.
While the improvement from December’s 52.0 is incremental, the data points to ongoing resilience in services, a key component of China’s economic transition toward more consumption- and service-led growth. Investors and analysts will be watching upcoming readings to gauge whether this nascent momentum can be sustained in the months ahead.
