Since April, China's factory activity has increased, according to an official survey.

• The official purchasing managers' index for October in China was 50.1, indicating expansion for the first time since April, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics released on Thursday.
• The data beat expectations for 49.9, according to a Reuters poll.
• In October, the PMI for non-manufacturing activity from the statistics bureau increased to 50.2, surpassing September's 50 but falling short of August's 50.3 print.

The official purchasing managers' index for October in China was 50.1, indicating expansion for the first time since April, as per the data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Thursday.

According to a Reuters poll, the data exceeded expectations for 49.9 in September, which was the last time the PMI was above the 50-point line that indicates contraction from activity, with a reading of 50.4 in April.

Zhiwei Zhang, president and chief economist at Pinpoint Asset Management, expects the economic momentum to improve moderately in Q4 with the implementation of loosened monetary and fiscal policies.

The standing committee of China's parliament is set to meet next week and is anticipated to reveal information on fiscal stimulus following the conclusion of the session on November 8.

In October, the sub-index for production was 52, while the sub-index for new orders was 50. Raw materials inventory increased to 48.2, which is still in contraction territory. Additionally, employment increased to 48.4, which was slightly better than the previous month.

In October, the PMI for non-manufacturing activity from the statistics bureau increased to 50.2, surpassing September's 50 but falling short of August's 50.3 print.

The non-manufacturing PMI's employment index increased by 1.1 percentage points to 45.8.

The China Beige Book, a survey of 1,436 Chinese businesses conducted between Oct. 18 and 25, revealed that manufacturing output increased from the previous year. Additionally, both domestic and export orders increased, with export orders from the U.S. decreasing less sharply in October.

The Caixin China general manufacturing PMI for October will be released on Friday, while the Caixin China general services PMI is scheduled for November 5.

Despite a sluggish real estate market and weak consumer demand, China's exports have remained a bright spot in the country's economic growth.

After a series of high-profile stimulus announcements, including a meeting led by Chinese President Xi Jinping, stocks rallied.