BEIJING (AFP) ― China’s manufacturing sector saw a surprise pick up in September, a closely watched survey showed Tuesday, but economists warned a slowdown in the key property sector was an ongoing risk to growth.

HSBC said its preliminary purchasing managers index advanced to a two-month high of 50.5, higher than a final reading of 50.2 in August and providing some respite after a string of weak data pointing to a slowdown in world’s second-largest economy.

A reading above 50 indicates the sector is expanding.

Concerns over China’s economy ― a key driver of global growth ― have intensified following a string of lackluster recent data, with economists calling for authorities to take further action to kick start growth.

Qu Hongbin, HSBC’s chief economist for China, said that while the result indicated manufacturing sector activity was stabilizing this month, expansion was still modest.

“The property downturn remains the biggest downside risk to growth,” he said in the statement.

“We continue to expect more monetary easing from the PBOC in order to steady the recovery,” he added.