BEIJING-China’s economic activity showed some signs of weakness in the final month of 2021, weighed by increasing concerns about coronavirus outbreaks and the toll of a government-induced property slowdown, though factory activity surprised on the upside, official data showed Monday.
Industrial production rose 4.3% in December from a year earlier, accelerating from November’s 3.8% increase, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. The reading was higher than the 3.6% growth expected by economists polled by The Wall Street Journal.
Retail sales, a key measure of Chinese consumption, rose 1.7% in December versus a year earlier, falling short of the 3.6% growth expected by the surveyed economists and November’s 3.9% pace.
Fixed-asset investment, which measures investment in the infrastructure, property and manufacturing sectors, increased 4.9% in 2021, slowing from 5.2% growth recorded for the January-November period. Economists had anticipated the investment figure to rise 4.8% for the full year.
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