BEIJING, Jan. 1 -- China is facing a downward pressure on its economy growth according to the Purchasing Managers’ Index for the manufacturing sector. It fell to 51 percent in December, down from 51.4 percent in November.

This newly released official data marks a four-month low. The PMI is an economic indicator to measure a country’s economic condition. A reading below 50 indicates contraction, while one above 50 signals expansion. Analysts say though the downward pressure exists, the overall economic growth is still in a process of stabilizing, as it’s the fifteenth month that PMI has been above 50.