Sputtering growth engines cast shadow on full-year economic prospects

Key China growth engines sputtered in July after a short-lived recovery in the second quarter, casting a shadow on its overall economic outlook for the coming months, according to the latest official data.

Industrial output, the main monthly measure of growth, expanded 6 percent in July from a year ago, down from 6.8 percent in June and ending a upward streak since March, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Wednesday.

Growth in fixed-asset investments excluding rural households edged down from 11.4 percent in the first six months to 11.2 percent in the first seven months, the slowest pace since 2000.