China's economy losing some steam with investment growth at 18-year low

Beijing

CHINA posted a rare flurry of disappointing data on Thursday - including its slowest growth in investment in nearly 18 years - suggesting that the world's second-largest economy is finally starting to lose some momentum as borrowing costs rise.

Factory output and retail sales also grew less than anticipated, though a rebound in property sales and construction starts is likely to keep China's overall growth relatively robust and comfortably on target ahead of a key leadership reshuffle next month.

"I think the risk (for China) isn't in the next couple of months but rather the next couple of years," said Capital Economics' Julian Evans-Pritchard. "Progress on key st…