Sales for China's major excavator producers declined in May, the first drop in 34 months, industry data showed.

The country's 25 leading excavator makers sold a total of 18,897 excavators last month, down 2.2 percent year on year, data from the China Construction Machinery Association showed.

In breakdown, 16,717 excavators were sold in the domestic market, down 6 percent year on year. Exports of the equipment soared 41.4 percent to 2,153.

Major manufacturers sold a total of 122,086 excavators in the first five months this year, up 15.2-percent year on year.

Sales of digging machines are an indicator of the vitality of an economy as demand is usually backed by growth in mining and infrastructure development.

China sold a total of 203,420 excavators in 2018, surging 45 percent year on year, the association said.

Source: Xinhua