China real estate investment up in April despite curbs

Beijing

REAL estate investment in China rose in April from March although sales growth was significantly slower, suggesting investment in the sector remained robust even as intensified government controls to rein in the market began to take effect.

Growth in property investment, which mainly focuses on residential but also includes commercial and office space, accelerated to 9.6 per cent in April from a year earlier, compared to 9.4 per cent in March, according to Reuters calculations based on data from the National Bureau of Statistics.