China's non-manufacturing PMI up for 2 consecutive months at 50.2 in June

The purchasing managers' index (PMI) for China's non-manufacturing sector came in at 50.2 in June, up for two consecutive months, official data revealed on Tuesday.

A reading above 50 indicates expansion, while a reading below 50 reflects contraction.

The continued expansion signals a resilient economic recovery anchored by high-growth tech and financial industries. In particular, the service sector sub-index stood at 50.4, up 0.1 points from the previous month.

"From the perspective of the industry, the business activity index of telecommunications, radio and television and satellite transmission services, internet software and information technology services, monetary financial services, and insurance was in the high expansion range of over 55.0, with relatively rapid growth in business volume," said Huo Lihui, chief statistician of the Service Industry Survey Center of the National Bureau of Statistics.

The sub-index for business activity in the construction sector rose over 3 points, also reaching the high expansion range of over 55 points. Notably, the new orders index returned to expansion after 11 months, standing at above 51.

The business expectation index, based on surveys of expected demand and other factors, stood at 55.3 in June, up 0.5 points and pointing to a more optimistic outlook across market sectors.

China's non-manufacturing PMI up for 2 consecutive months at 50.2 in June

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has reported 1,406 confirmed Ebola cases, including 438 deaths, the government said in an update on Wednesday.

The fatality rate stood at 31.2 percent among confirmed infections since the outbreak was declared on May 15.

The figures also showed that 192 patients had recovered, while 609 others were receiving treatment or under care.

The outbreak remains concentrated in the eastern provinces of Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu, where surveillance, medical care and response operations are continuing. The government said response capacity is being strengthened through the deployment of vehicles and ambulances, the supply of medicines and personal protective equipment, and intensified communication and community mobilization efforts.

Health authorities and international partners have repeatedly warned that insecurity, population movement, pressure on health facilities and incomplete contact tracing continue to complicate the response.

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) warned in late June that the ongoing Ebola epidemic in the country is spreading at a pace outstripping current response capacities, potentially triggering broader socio-economic fallout.

Ebola cases top 1,406, death toll rises to 438 in DR Congo