Workers producing garments at a textile factory that supplies clothes to fast fashion e-commerce company Shein in Guangzhou in southern China's Guangdong province.

Jade Gao | Afp | Getty Images

China's factory activity topped analysts' expectations in April, although growth slowed from the prior month when it hit a year-high, as new orders saw a slowdown.

The official manufacturing purchasing managers' index reading of 50.3 was higher than the the 50.1 expected by Reuters-polled economists.

Non-manufacturing PMI fell into contraction territory at 49.4, compared to the 50.1 seen in March, with activity in the services and construction sectors both shrinking.…