China’s Economic Growth Falls to Nearly Three-year Low

(BEIJING) — China‘s economy rebounded in the final quarter of 2012 but optimism was tempered by warnings the recovery could be vulnerable to a possible downturn in global trade. Growth rose to 7.9 percent in the three months ending in December as the world’s second-largest economy limped out of its deepest slowdown since the 2008 global crisis, data showed Friday. That was up from 7.4 percent the previous quarter and raised total growth for the year to 7.8 percent — China’s weakest year since the 1990s.

China’s recovery is in quite good shape China’s economic growth accelerated for the first time in two years as government efforts to revive demand drove a rebound in industrial output, retail sales and the housing market.

The much-denied hard landing in China is now underway with weakening data everywhere one looks. Today there is More Bad News For China as FDI Falls. Foreign direct investment in China fell to the lowest level in two years in July, fueling concern that waning confidence in the nation’s growth prospects may restrain any economic rebound.

A rally in Asia is underway this morning as Wen Jiabao, China’s premier is upbeat on China’s economy Wen Jiabao, China’s premier, has given his most optimistic assessment of the Chinese economy since the start of the year, saying that it had stabilised and that the government’s target of 7.5 per cent annual growth was well within reach.

Bloomberg reports Chinese Stocks Slump Most in Three Weeks as Manufacturing Slows China’s stocks fell, dragging the benchmark index down the most in three weeks, as data showed the country’s manufacturing growing at a slower pace.

BEIJING — China reported stronger trade in March in a possible positive sign for its recovery but analysts said the data might be inflated and give a distorted picture of the economy’s health. Imports rose 14.1 percent after growing 5 percent rate for the combined January-February period, customs data showed Wednesday, suggesting Chinese manufacturers and consumers might be buying more. Export growth slowed to 10 percent from the previous two-month period’s 23.6 percent.

BEIJING — China reported stronger trade in March in a possible positive sign for its recovery but analysts said the data might be inflated and give a distorted picture of the economy’s health. Imports rose 14.1 percent after growing 5 percent rate for the combined January-February period, customs data showed Wednesday, suggesting Chinese manufacturers and consumers might be buying more. Export growth slowed to 10 percent from the previous two-month period’s 23.6 percent.