An independent gauge of activity in China’s services sector indicates growth slowed further last month, contrasting with a pick-up in bustle at the country’s manufacturers.
对中国服务业经济活动的一个独立指标显示，上个月中国服务业增长进一步放缓，这与中国制造商重返繁忙的景象形成了对照。
Business activity at service providers grew at the slowest pace in four months in February, according to the Caixin-Markit services purchasing managers’ index. The latest reading of 52.6 reflects a fall of 1.8 points from December’s level, though that is still safely above the 50-point line delineating growth from contraction.
根据财新(Caixin)/Markit服务业采购经理人指数(PMI)，2月份中国服务业供应商的业务活动增幅为四个月内最低。52.6的最新读数比去年12月份的水平低了0.8个百分点，不过该读数仍大大高于50的荣枯线。

Businesses surveyed for the gauge indicated the rate of growth in new orders held steady from January, but noted increased competition had prevented them from raising prices charged to clients in February. That contrasted with input prices, which rose again last month – albeit at a slower pace.
为编制该指数而接受调查的企业表示，新订单增速从1月份起保持稳定。不过它们指出，竞争加剧令它们在2月份无法提高对客户的开价。相比之下，输入价格却再次上涨——尽管上涨速度较慢。
The Caixin gauge tracks smaller, private businesses compared to its official counterpart, which focuses primarily on large, state-owned enterprises. Official PMI readings for January showed activity ratchet up in manufacturing while both services and construction sector growth softened visibly.
与官方PMI指数相比，财新的指数跟踪研究的是规模较小的民营企业，而官方指数则主要关注大型国有企业。2月份官方PMI指数显示制造业活动出现扩张，而服务业和建筑业增长都明显放缓。
The latest number from the independent services gauge, together with a reading of 51.7 from manufacturing, shook out to a composite CPI reading of 52.6 for February, up 0.4 points from January and indicating slight improvement.
从这一独立服务业指标的最新读数，再把51.7的制造业读数考虑在内，得出2月份的综合PMI读数为52.6，比1月份高了0.4，显示出经济活动略有改善。