 "China services industry growth slows in Dec")
Growth in China's services industries slowed in December, a pair of surveys showed, mirroring a slowdown in manufacturing and confirming views that the world's second-largest economy lost steam at the end of last year.
The HSBC/Markit Economics services Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) dropped to 50.9 in December, its lowest since August 2011, from 52.5 in November, HSBC said on Monday.
New business expansion was the slowest in six months.
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The PMI follows a similar survey by China's National Bureau of Statistics on Friday, which showed a slowdown in service-sector growth to a four-month low of 54.6 from the previous month's 56.0.
Both surveys follow two other PMIs last week that showed China's factory activity slowed in December, suggesting the moderation in the country's growth in the final quarter of 2013 was broad-based.
But all four measures remained above the 50 point level that separates expansion in activity from contraction.
China's economy has regained some momentum since mid-year after a protracted slowdown. While it was expected to lose steam as the government reins in rampant credit growth and demand for China's exports remains subdued, activity has remained resilient into the December quarter.
Beijing has said it will accept slower growth as it tries to reshape the economy towards more sustainable growth, based on consumer demand, after three decades of breakneck expansion led by exports and credit.
China's economic growth is likely to come in at 7.6% in 2013, the government has said, just above the official target of 7.5% and slightly below the 7.7% in 2012. Data for 2013 GDP is set to be released on January 20.