China's manufacturing PMI drops to 51 pct in Dec

China's purchasing managers' index (PMI) for the manufacturing sector dropped to 51 percent in December, down from 51.4 percent for November, according to official data released on Wednesday.

A reading below 50 indicates contraction, while that above 50 signals expansion.

The monthly indicator is released by the National Bureau of Statistics and the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing.