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.

Georgia teen arrested after father turns him in following pair of shootings, police say

Cause of death revealed weeks after woman died following Universal Orlando ride: report

Gov Whitmer says America ‘ready for a woman president,’ contrasting Michelle Obama

Air Force One turns around shortly after takeoff for Trump’s trip to Switzerland

Lindsey Halligan leaves US attorney post after weeks of judicial scrutiny

Former Trump lawyer accuses federal judge of making ‘baseless accusations of lying’ after departure

Missouri couple accused of locking teens in chicken pen, shooting them with BB guns in abuse case

House passes AI education bill for small businesses in landslide 395-14 vote

Cities Church Issues Full-Throated Response to Invasion of their Sunday Worship Service by Leftist Agitators

Nationwide walkout draws thousands into streets on anniversary of Trump’s inauguration

Bondi vows accountability after church attack, says Minnesota ‘a mess right now’

Illegal immigrant allegedly ran from deadly wrong-way DUI crash that killed motorcyclist, records show

DHS says ICE agents rammed by vehicles amid Minneapolis enforcement surge: ‘Aggressively assaulted’

Ilhan Omar vows ‘not to give ICE a single cent’ in heated congressional funding fight

ALERT: Dem Rep Publicly Supports Assault on Christian Worship Service by Leftist Agitators

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.