News Summary

• China's economy got off to a sluggish start in the second half, reviving pressure on policymakers to support growth.
• Industrial production expanded 4.5% in July from a year earlier, slowing for the first time in three months.
• Retail sales growth slowed to 0.6%, also underperforming expectations.
• Fixed-asset investment fell more than forecast at a pace of 6.7% year-on-year in the first seven months, after shrinking 5.8% in first half.