World · 17 August 2026

Chinese economic growth slows down further as factory output and retail sales weaken

The National Bureau of Statistics, China's data agency, blamed the poor July figures on extreme heat and heavy rain. Factory production grew by just 4.5% compared to last year, while retail spending increased by only 0.6% despite the summer holidays. It follows a highly disappointing period between April and June, where overall growth dropped to 4.3%, missing official government targets.

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