China’s economy showing signs that slowdown may be extending

Industrial output and retail sales slump in July after one of the country’s weakest quarterly growth rates ever

China’s economy is showing signs of extending a slowdown with a slump in industrial output and retail sales in July, adding to pressure on Beijing to intervene with measures to support activity.

After the world’s second largest economy posted one of its lowest quarterly growth readings on record in the three months to June, the latest figures suggest it continued to falter in July.