China’s Economy Strains Under Disappointing Data

China’s economy showed more signs of strain Monday as the country published weak data for industrial output, investment and retail sales, amid a lingering trade war with the United States.

Industrial output grew by 4.4 percent year-on-year throughout August, falling to its lowest level in 17 years and down from 4.8 percent in July.

The figure was well below analyst expectations, with a Bloomberg survey of analysts predicting heartier growth of 5.2 percent.

“We must be aware that international instabilities and uncertainties are increasing significantly, and that at home economic structural issues are still prominent and the downward pressures on (the) economy are mounting,” said Fu Linghui, a spokesman for the National Bureau of Statistics, which released the data.

Retail sales also slipped to post growth of 7.5 percent — 0.1 percent down on the previous month and a knock to Beijing’s aims to boost domestic consumption.

‘Devil in the Ozarks’ gets more prison time for escaping, now in supermax facility

Bald eagle floating on Hudson River ice rescued by NYPD

Minnesota Officials Forced to Sound the Alarms Over Fungal STD Outbreak

Watch: Whoopi Goldberg Rushes to Explain Why She Was in the Epstein Files Seeking to Use His Private Jet

Immigration judge blocks deportation of Columbia anti-Israel agitator

Sanders-endorsed Senate candidate knocked for alleged flip-flop to ‘have it both ways’ on key issue

Hollywood Star Arrested, Charged After Altercation: ‘Held Down Until Police Arrived’

NYC Board of Elections worker says ‘not my job to report anyone’ when asked about registering non-citizens

Gun store owner says FBI asked him to check firearm sales against list of names, pics in Guthrie case

Mike Lee calls Schumer’s ‘Jim Crow 2.0’ attack on voter ID bill ‘paranoid fantasy’

Palestinian activist accused of expressing desire to ‘kill Jews’ wins deportation case

Air Force One scraps iconic Kennedy-era paint scheme for Trump-approved red, white, blue design

Inside world’s top science society’s convention bashing Trump, pushing DEI, pronouns: ‘Felt like a funeral’

How did Jeffrey Epstein get rich? Meet Les Wexner, the ex-Victoria’s Secret CEO who once worked with him

Mistrial declared in Texas ICE detention center ambush trial over defense lawyer’s T-shirt

Investment in fixed assets saw year-on-year growth of 5.5 percent in the first eight months of the year, 0.2 percent less than the first seven months, including a slight dip in crucial real estate investment.

All three sets of data fell short of analyst expectations, with Bloomberg predicting 7.9 percent growth in retail sales and 5.7 percent growth in investments.

China’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth slowed to 6.2 percent in the second quarter of the year — the weakest pace in almost three decades.

“For China to maintain growth of 6.0 percent or more is very difficult against the current backdrop of a complicated international situation and a relatively high base, and this rate is at the forefront of the world’s leading economies,” Chinese Premier Li Keqiang was quoted as saying in an interview with Russian media which was published on the Chinese government’s website.

The People’s Bank of China said earlier this month that it would cut the amount of cash lenders must keep in reserve, in a bid to release more money into the stuttering economy.