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China’s services activity expanded at its fastest pace in 14 months in July, fuelled by stronger demand, including a rise in new export orders, a private-sector survey showed on Tuesday.

The S&P Global China General Services PMI rose to 52.6 in July from 50.6 the previous month, marking the fastest pace since May last year. The 50-mark separates expansion from contraction.

The reading contrasted with China’s official survey, which showed services activity edging down slightly to 50.0 in July from 50.1 in June.

The S&P PMI is considered a better read of trends among smaller, export-oriented firms, particularly along the east coast, while the official PMI primarily tracks large and medium-sized enterprises, including state-owned companies.