China economic growth slows to 6.9% in Q3

Beijing

CHINA'S economy has grown by its slowest rate since the financial crisis in 2009, but shows timid signs of stabilisation as ongoing stimulus measures kick in.

The third-quarter growth of 6.9 per cent is slightly above analysts' forecasts and still within the government's "around 7 per cent" target.

The figure, signalling that the world's second-largest economy is for the moment averting a hard landing, was welcomed by markets and analysts. The Shanghai stock exchange closed only marginally lower on Monday, slipping 0.14 per cent.

"Overall, yesterday's data point to some s…