China economy grows 5 percent in Q1 to beat expectations
China's GDP grew 5 percent in the first quarter, beating forecasts. Strong industrial output helped offset weak retail sales and a property sector downturn.
The economy of China expanded by 5% in the first quarter of 2026, outperforming analyst expectations despite a complex global landscape. Data released on Thursday showed that the year-on-year growth surpassed the 4.8% expansion projected by economists and improved upon the 4.5% rate recorded in the final quarter of the previous year. On a quarterly basis, the gross domestic product rose by 1.3%, matching market forecasts.
Key performance metrics for the first quarter include: - Industrial output for March: +5.7% year-on-year (forecast: +5.5%) - Retail sales for March: +1.7% year-on-year (forecast: +2.3%) - Fixed asset investment (January-March): +1.7% year-on-year - Property investment (January-March): -11.2% year-on-year
