THE China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP) reports that national logistics sector financial value in the first eight months of 2013 increased 9.5 per cent to CNY127 trillion (US$20.75 trillion) year on year, Xinhua reports.

Though the growth was 0.2 percentage points slower than in the same period in the previous year, it was 0.2 percentage points faster than in the period from January to July this year, signaling a recovery in demand.

China's logistics billings, the cost of all logistics business, increased 9.1 per cent to CNY6.1 trillion. The growth was 0.2 percentage points faster than in the period from January to July.

Logistics service prices have stopped falling with the service price index climbing 2.6 percentage points year on year to 50.6 per cent. This is the first time since May that the index topped the critical level of 50.

Shanghai Free Trade Zone winning go-ahead approval, improving economic figures and restoration of investor's confidence have brought the China Coastal Bulk Freight Index to 1,009.4 points in August, up 4.3 per cent over July, said Xinhua.

Logistics operators also experienced better times in August with the Logistics Prosperity Index's core profit index rising 2.3 points, again topping 50 per cent into the positive zone.