Staff members transport packages at a logistics center in Zhengzhou, central China's Henan Province, Nov. 11, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhang Haoran)

BEIJING, Jan. 8  -- China's logistics activity posted a slower expansion last month, data from the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP) showed.

The logistics performance index, which tracks business volume, new orders, employment, inventory turnovers and equipment utility rates in the sector, came in at 52.6 percent in December 2021, down 1 percentage point from the previous month.

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

Despite a decrease from a month earlier, the index remained in the expansion zone, with railway transport and courier services maintaining fast growth, the CFLP noted.

The sub-index for new orders came in at 51.6 percent, and the sub-index for business activity expectations stood at 53.4 percent. This indicated that companies are generally upbeat about market prospects in the near future, according to the federation.

The index scored an annual average of 53.4 percent in 2021, up 1.7 percentage points from the previous year, said the CFLP.