China's economic activity slows in July as reforms begin to bite

Beijing

CHINA's economic activity slowed in July, with investment growing at its slowest pace in more than 16 years in the year-to period, as the world's second-largest economy grappled with the painful restructuring of its older industrial sectors.

The pace of fixed-asset investment slipped to 8.1 per cent in January-July from 9 per cent in the January-June period. Analysts had expected it to rise 8.8 per cent.