China fixed asset investment rises first in nine months, in line with market expectations

Fixed asset investment in China rose for the first time in nine months during the January-September period, compared to a year earlier, largely in line with what markets had earlier anticipated, as the country’s government took up steps to revive the infrastructure sector in the already-ailing economy.

China's fixed-asset investment rose 8.2 percent in January-September from a year earlier, while Analysts polled by Reuters had predicted investment growth in the period would pick up slightly from 8.1 percent in the first eight months of the year, data released by the National Bureau of Statistics showed Wednesday.

Further, private sector fixed-asset investment grew 2.5 percent in the first nine months, data showed, quickening from a record low of 2.1 percent in the first eight months. Also, in September, fixed-asset investment grew 9 percent from a year earlier.

Meanwhile, China’s gross domestic product expanded at an annualized 6.7 percent during the third quarter, following a 6.7 percent increase in each of the first two quarters.