China July Growth Slows On Tariffs and Price War Crackdown

China’s economy slowed in July, with factory activity with investment and retail sales all disappointing, according to Bloomberg. Economists attribute the weakness to Beijing’s crackdown on price wars and the effects of Trump’s tariffs. Industrial production rose 5.7% year-over-year, the weakest since November, down from June’s 6.8%. Retail sales growth slowed to 3.7%, the lowest this year, while fixed-asset investment rose just 1.6% in the first seven months. The urban jobless rate climbed to 5.2%. Economists cited Beijing’s crackdown on price wars, Trump’s tariffs and extreme weather as key drags. The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index fell 1%, the CSI 300 gained 0.7%, and the yuan was steady. Analysts expect targeted stimulus if weakness persists into late September or October.