Eight China provinces report slower growth

Beijing

EVEN as China continues to anchor global growth, a look under the hood reveals a divergence in regional economies that the nation's policymakers should be wary about.

Eight provincial-level regions reported slower growth in the first half of this year from the result in the first quarter, while 12 showed a pick-up. Twenty-seven of 31 had reported as of late Friday, with expansion unchanged in seven regions and the nation as a whole.