JPMorgan reports decline in China's business sentiment

Sharp drop in Feb index reflects banking, energy sector difficulties

China's economic growth momentum has weakened sharply in February, reflecting seasonal factors and a deterioration in confidence in the banking and energy sectors, according to JPMorgan Chase & Co.

It's Research Analyst Sentiment Index, a leading indicator tracking aggregate company-level performance, registered a sudden drop to 39.4 in February from 57.2 in January.