China’s Industrial Output and Economic Indicators in March 2023

BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s industrial output in March rose 7.7% from a year earlier, quickening from 5.9% growth in the January-February period, according to official data released on Wednesday. This growth comes as the world’s second-largest economy prepares for the impact of hefty U.S. trade tariffs.

The data, published by the National Bureau of Statistics, exceeded the 5.8% expansion forecast from a Reuters poll of 35 economists.

In March, retail sales, which serve as a gauge of consumption, grew 5.9%, increasing from 4.0% growth in the first two months. Analysts had anticipated a 4.2% increase.

Fixed asset investment saw an expansion of 4.2%, slightly above the 4.1% growth forecast, and also grew by 4.1% in the initial two months of the year.