China's Economy Slows at Start of Q2 with Weak Consumption and Industrial Output
In early Q2 2026, China's economy showed signs of slowing down as April data revealed weaker-than-expected industrial output growth and a significant drop in retail sales. Factory production grew by only 4.1% year-on-year compared to March’s 5.7%, marking the slowest pace since July 2023. Retail sales rose just 0.2%, their weakest gain in over three years, highlighting ongoing challenges with domestic demand.
Topics: China economy consumption trends industrial output retail sales