China's industrial output expanded by 18 percent in July, the
National Bureau of Statistics said Wednesday.
The bureau said more than 98 percent of the industrial products
were sold in July, 0.03 percentage points lower than the same
period of last year. The export volume of industrial products stood
at 608.5 billion yuan (80 billion U.S. dollars), up 22.2
percent.
China's industrial output expanded by 18.5 percent in the first
half of 2007. In June alone, industrial output jumped 19.4 percent
year-on-year.
Chinese retail sales in July rose 16.4 percent year-on-year to
reach 699.8 billion yuan (92 billion U.S. dollars), according to
the bureau.
Another major economic barometer - consumer price index (CPI)-
rose by a 33-month-high 5.6 percent in July on food price hikes
compared with the same period of last year, said the bureau.
(Xinhua News Agency August 15, 2007)