China's value-added industrial output, an important economic indicator, returned to growth in April as factory activities gradually recovered amid easing containment measures against the novel coronavirus, official data showed Friday.

The value-added industrial output went up 3.9 percent year on year last month, rebounding from the 1.1-percent drop in March and 13.5-percent slump seen in the first two months of the year, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

Output by the manufacturing industry reported the quickest recovery by expanding 5 percent year on year, with that of high-tech manufacturing and equipment manufacturing rising 10.5 percent and 9.3 percent, respectively.

Output in industries in the production and supply of electricity, thermal power, gas and water reported a year-on-year increase of 0.2 percent, while the mining sector saw output up by 0.3 percent.

In the first four months, industrial output went down 4.9 percent year on year, with the rate narrowing 3.5 percentage points from the drop seen in the first quarter.

With consolidated epidemic control efforts and the restoration of economic activities, major indices have sustained the improving momentum since March, the NBS said in a statement.

But with the global spread of the virus, domestic recovery still faces many challenges, it added.

The industrial output is used to measure the activity of designated large enterprises with annual business turnover of at least 20 million yuan (about 2.82 million U.S. dollars). Enditem