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China Records Slowest GDP Growth in 4 Years
Weak consumption and property investment offset stronger exports and factory output, while policymakers weigh more fiscal support after growth missed the official target.
China's National Bureau of Statistics reported Wednesday that the economy expanded 4.3% year-on-year in the April-June quarter, marking a sharp slowdown from 5.0% growth in the January-March quarter.
Weak domestic demand and a prolonged property slump weighed on growth, creating a divergence where manufacturing and Exports outperformed while consumer spending remained sluggish, according to Economists.
Exports rose 17.6% in the first half of the year while industrial output increased 5.3% and retail sales grew 1.0%, highlighting the country's reliance on manufacturing to sustain momentum.
ZHANG, Chief Economist at PINPOINT ASSET MANAGEMENT in Hong Kong, said the government is "still on track" to meet its 4.5%-5% target and "will likely remain strong in the short term."
A Reuters poll expects China's expansion to ease to 4.4% by 2027 as global demand cools, though the International Monetary Fund recently raised its 2026 forecast to 4.6%.
China’s economy slowed down more than expected in the second quarter and registered its weakest growth in more than three years, increasing pressure on policymakers to accelerate public spending and meet the annual growth target. Gross Domestic Product grew by 4.3% year-on-year, according to data published on Wednesday by the National Bureau of Statistics, below the lower limit of the official target of 4.5% to 5% for this year. The result was a…