The Chinese economy expanded 11.1 per cent in the first half compared to the same period last year, pointing to a considerable slowdown in the second quarter of the year.
No figures were made immediately available for second-quarter growth, but the number for the first six months was a step down from the 11.9 per cent rate posted for the first quarter alone. That strong figure reflected the impact of the huge monetary stimulus that Beijing launched in late 2008 as a result of the global financial crisis.
The difference between the January-June and January-March numbers suggested that activity slowed significantly in recent months after the authorities introduced measures to try and cool the housing market.