BEIJING -- China's business climate index, a major gauge of the country's macroeconomic outlook, rebounded slightly in the third quarter, according to data released on Friday.

The business climate index was 121.5 points for the third quarter, up 0.9 points from the previous quarter, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said in a statement.

The figure continued to stay above 100 points, indicating that Chinese enterprises were still operating in an upbeat climate, the statement said.

The index ranges from zero to 200 points, with a reading of more than 100 indicating a sound and optimistic climate, while a reading below 100 is a sign of a pessimistic business environment.

The indices for large, medium-sized and small enterprises were 135.6, 123.7 and 110.4 points, respectively. All indices have rebounded from the second quarter of the year, the statement said.

On Friday, the NBS also released other key economic figures. The country's gross domestic product grew 7.8 percent in the third quarter over the previous year, up from 7.5 percent in the second quarter.