China's growth slower than expected in October

Beijing

GROWTH in China's manufacturing sector cooled more than expected in October, in the face of tighter pollution rules that are forcing steel mills, smelters and factories to curtail production over the winter.

While still easily in expansionary territory, China's monthly official factory survey also showed unexpected weakness in new export orders, which had been expected to pick up heading into the peak year-end shopping season.

The data gives global investors their first look at business conditions in China at the start of the fourth quarter, with the government's war on smog adding to uncertainty amid early signs of a slowdown in the world's second-largest economy.

National Statistics Bureau official Zhao Qinghe said: "Some regions stepped up pollution controls in October, with firms adjusting, halting or staggering production." Activity in energy-intensive and polluting industries slowed during the month, while high-end manufacturing and consumption-related manufactur…