China's business confidence index fell slightly to 143.0 in the third quarter from a record high of 143.1 in the second quarter, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Wednesday.

The bureau said most of China's business managers were expecting strong economic growth in the near future.

Over half, or 50.1 percent, of them were optimistic about the current economic situation, while another 42.7 percent thought the economic environment would remain stable, the statistics agency said on its Web site .

The bureau surveys 19,500 enterprises of all types to compile the index, which is meant to represent firms' views on the overall economic environment and macroeconomic policy.

The agency's separate business climate index, released on Tuesday, fell to 144.7 points in the third quarter from 146.0 points in the second.