Index results bode well for quarterly GDP

Economic data surprise market, show signs of steady growth, experts say

China's economic growth will remain stable in the first quarter, and is expected to land at 6.3 percent or even higher year-on-year when it is released this week, economists said after some economic indicators for March surprised the market on the upside.

"Downside pressure began to ease in the first quarter, as signaled by the rather substantial recovery in various economic indicators in March," said Yao Jingyuan, former chief economist at the National Bureau of Statistics and a researcher for the Counselors' Office of the State Council.