{
  "id": 15667524,
  "title": "China’s third-quarter growth narrowly beats forecasts",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/chinas-third-quarter-growth-narrowly-beats-forecasts",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-19T21:26:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Qatar Tribune Business",
    "slug": "qatar-tribune-business",
    "url": "https://www.qatar-tribune.com/article/259993/business/chinas-third-quarter-growth-narrowly-beats-forecasts"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "China's economy expanded slightly more than anticipated in the third quarter, though the growth rate still fell short of the government's full-year objectives, as global energy disruptions and subdued domestic demand counterbalanced robust exports. The nation's second-largest economy has experienced a notable divergence in recent years, with a surge in exports, driven by artificial intelligence, overshadowing the effects of a continuing real estate crisis and apprehensive consumer sentiment. The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported that GDP increased by 4.5 percent in July-September, up from 4.3 percent in the prior quarter and slightly surpassing the 4.4 percent estimate in an AFP survey of economists. Beijing has set an annual growth goal of 4.5-5.0 percent for this year, the lowest target in decades. The international environment, described as \"complex and volatile\" by NBS deputy head Mao Shengyong, posed challenges, alongside insufficient domestic demand. Following a late September announcement of mortgage subsidies and infrastructure investment support, authorities aimed to stimulate activity amid slumping growth. While consumer spending has been a hindrance this year, retail sales data indicated a 1.1 percent increase in September, the fastest pace since March. Despite this, real retail sales growth, after accounting for inflation, remained sluggish compared to the previous year. Economists noted that the unexpectedly strong GDP figures might dissuade the government from implementing significant policy adjustments in the fourth quarter to meet its annual target. Industrial production grew by 5.5 percent year-on-year in September, up from 5.2 percent in August, driven by strong foreign demand. However, fixed-asset investment declined by 7.2 percent over the first nine months of the year. Facing high energy costs due to the Iran conflict, China, the world's biggest crude importer, is under pressure. The International Monetary Fund recently reduced its forecast for China's growth this year to 4.5 percent, citing higher energy prices and persistent uncertainties. Analysts argue that China must transition to a growth model more reliant on domestic consumption rather than relying on traditional drivers like construction, property development, and exports. The World Bank's director in Asia and the Pacific highlighted that this much-needed \"rebalancing\" has yet to occur. While exports have traditionally fueled China's economy, recent figures show a surge in overseas shipments, positioning the country for another record trade surplus exceeding $1.2 trillion. This boom is largely attributed to robust global demand for AI-related products such as computers, semiconductors, and data center equipment. However, China's swelling surpluses have heightened tensions with significant trading partners like the European Union and the United States. Recent negotiations between EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic and Chinese counterpart Wang Wentao resulted in an agreement to restrict exports of Chinese hybrid vehicles to Europe, with critics accusing Beijing's extensive subsidies to domestic industries of creating unfair advantages in global markets.",
  "summary": "AgenciesChina’s economy grew slightly faster than expected in the third quarter, but Monday’s figures were still at the lower end of the government’s full-year target, as the globa...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}