BEIJING - China's logistics activity increased in May as the economy continued to show signs of firming, industry data showed Monday.

The logistics performance index for May came in at 56.1 percent, up from 54.6 percent in April, according to the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing.

A reading above 50 percent indicates expansion while a reading below reflects contraction.

"The increase pointed to relatively strong logistics activity and a positive outlook for the industry," said He Hui, deputy head of the China Logistics Information Center.

He attributed the momentum to brisk activity in food and farm produce logistics, growing fixed-asset investment in the sector, and lower costs for logistics firms.

In breakdown, the sub-index for new orders expanded to 54.5 percent from 52.9 percent in April, while that for inventory turnover came in at 52 percent, up from 51.4 percent in April.

The sector's business expectation index stood at 60.8 percent, suggesting that business activity will continue to improve in the future, according to the federation.

China's economy delivered a solid start to the year with above-target growth. Its GDP expanded 6.8 percent year-on-year in the first quarter, unchanged from the previous quarter.

The country's manufacturing sector grew in May at the fastest pace in eight months, with the purchasing managers' index reaching 51.9, up from 51.4 in April, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.