China April 2026 economy cools as industrial output, retail underperform
Business
China's economy lost some steam in April 2026, with both factory output and retail sales missing the mark.
Industrial production grew just 4.1% compared to last year, slower than March and less than experts expected.
Retail sales barely budged, rising only 0.2%, which is a big drop from March and way below forecasts.
Jan-Apr fixed asset investment falls 1.6%
In another twist, investment in things like buildings and equipment actually shrank by 1.6% from January to April, flipping from earlier growth and surprising economists who expected an increase.
All this points to China facing bigger challenges as it tries to boost spending and keep its recovery on track this year.