China Nov investment growth slows, industrial output beats expectations

[BEIJING] China's fixed-asset investment growth slowed to 7.2 per cent in the January-November period, while industrial output expanded at a faster pace than markets had expected.

Analysts polled by Reuters had correctly predicted investment growth of 7.2 per cent, cooling from the 7.3 per cent rate in the Jan-Oct period.

Private sector fixed-asset investment rose 5.7 per cent in January-November, down from the first 10 months of the year.

Industrial output rose 6.1 per cent in November from a year earlier, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Thursday, surpassing analysts' estimates for a rise of 6.0 per cent. In October, output increased 6.2 per cent.

Retail sales gained 10.2 per cent in November on-year, in line with expectations, in line with expectations, but slightly ahead of the prior month.

The world's second-biggest economy has defied market expectations with economic growth of 6.9 per cent in the first nine months of the year, supported by a construction boom and robust exports.

But factory activity has shown signs of cooling in the past few months as Beijing extended a crackdown on financial risks, which has increased borrowing costs and weighed on new investment.

REUTERS