IN BRIEF (Page 18)

Industrial output slows

Growth in China's industrial output eased to 14.7 percent in July from a year earlier, down from 16 percent in June and 18 percent in July of last year, the National Bureau of Statistics said yesterday.

A reduction in external demand brought about by the slowdown in the global economy and the yuan appreciation were among key factors that have led to weakening export growth, analysts said.