Swiss PMI posts suprise dip, still shows growth

* PMI dips to 54.0 pts as output, orders growth slowed

* 3-month average shows growth for first time since Sept 08

ZURICH, Nov 2 (Reuters) - The recovery of Switzerland's manufacturing industry lost a bit of momentum in October, a surprise dip in the country's PMI showed, still showing however that the Alpine economy is leaving the deep recession behind.

The Credit Suisse/SVME Purchasing Managers' Index ticked down to 54.0 points from 54.3 points in September Credit Suisse said in a statement, falling short of the median analyst forecast of 55.0 points in a Reuters poll. ECONCH

But Credit Suisse said the 3-month average moved above the 50-point growth threshold for the first time since September 2008, highlighting the recovery in the sector.

The PMI dip was the first negative surprise after a string of upbeat news from the Swiss economy, which has been pointing to a surprisingly fast recovery.

The country had slipped into the worst recession in over three decades in mid-2008 as the global crisis choked off demand for its exports.

On Friday, yet another jump in the country's leading growth barometer, the KOF leading indicator, bolstered views that Switzerland could return to pre-crisis growth rates of above 2 percent next year already.

(Reporting by Sven Egenter)