China's National Bureau of Statistics

HONG KONG—China’s economy expanded more strongly than expected in the third quarter as the country bounced back modestly from crippling Covid lockdowns in the spring, though challenges remain as leader Xi Jinping consolidates control over the political apparatus for another five years. China’s gross domestic product grew by 3.9% in the three months ended Sept. 30 from a year earlier, China’s National Bureau of Statistics said Monday in a data release that was unexpectedly delayed as…

HONG KONG—The world is eager for clues about the health of China’s economy as the country endures its worst prolonged slowdown in years. But getting a clear picture has only grown more difficult, as data becomes harder to obtain and unflattering analysis vanishes.On Monday, China’s National Bureau of Statistics abruptly canceled the release of quarterly gross domestic product data just hours before it was set to be published, without providing a reason or setting a new date. Days earlier, the country’s customs agency…

HONG KONG—Chinese economic activity remained feeble in September, with the services sector slipping into contraction, offering fresh evidence of the damage that Beijing’s Covid-prevention measures and a deepening real estate slide are inflicting on the country’s economy. Activity in the service sector, which includes the retail, catering and transport industries, were hammered as authorities across China tightened Covid-19 restrictions ahead of a key political gathering in October. A subindex measuring the services sector…

A decline in Chinese new-home prices accelerated in May, despite efforts by local governments and banks to increase support for a real-estate sector that has been plagued by developer defaults and weak home-buyer demand.Data released on Thursday by China’s National Bureau of Statistics showed that average new-home prices in 70 major Chinese cities declined 0.79% in May from a year earlier. That was worse than a 0.11% year-over-year pullback in April, which was the first month in which home prices had fallen by this…

BEIJING—A monthly measure of new home prices in China fell for the first time in more than six years, offering further evidence of the pain that Beijing’s regulatory campaign is inflicting on a sector that has long served as an economic growth engine.Average new-home prices in 70 major cities edged 0.11% lower in April from a year earlier, according to Wall Street Journal calculations based on data released Wednesday by China’s National Bureau of Statistics. The decline, though slight, marks the first such decrease since…

HONG KONG—China’s economy descended deeper into a Covid-induced doldrums last month, raising questions about whether Beijing’s planned stimulus measures can prevent a prolonged downturn.Consumer spending and factory output tumbled in April, while growth in infrastructure investment—which Beijing has been counting on to prop up growth this year—slowed sharply, China’s National Bureau of Statistics reported on Monday. HONG KONG—China’s economy descended deeper into a Covid-induced doldrums last month, raising questions…

HONG KONG—China’s consumer inflation edged up in April and factory-gate price pressures remained elevated as Covid-19 lockdowns jammed up logistics networks and the Ukraine war pushed up global energy prices.China’s consumer-price index in April was up 2.1% from a year earlier, official data showed Wednesday, the fastest pace in five months—accelerating from March’s 1.5% and topping the 2% median forecast of economists polled by the Journal. HONG KONG—China’s consumer inflation edged up in April and factory-gate price…