China Industrial Output Growth Softens

(RTTNews) - China's industrial production and retail sales grew at slower rates in August, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed on Monday.

Industrial output expanded 5.2 percent on a yearly basis, slower than the 5.7 percent increase in July. The rate was expected to remain unchanged at 5.7 percent.

Similarly, annual growth in retail sales eased to 3.4 percent from July's 3.7 percent, while sales were forecast to climb 3.8 percent.

During January to August, fixed asset investment climbed 0.5 percent from the same period last year, slower than the 1.6 percent rise in January to July. This was much weaker than the forecast of 1.5 percent.

In August, the jobless rate edged up to 5.3 percent from 5.2 percent in July.