China misses expectations for AprilAFP, BEIJINGChina’s economic data for last month missed expectations, data released yesterday showed, as low demand and high youth unemployment led to a patchy recovery after lifting strict COVID-19 rules. Retail sales — a key indicator of domestic consumer activity — grew 18.4 percent year-on-year, Chinese National Bureau of Statistics data showed. Overall urban unemployment slipped to 5.2 percent, from 5.3 percent in March. “The recovery of demand is still insufficient,” Chinese National Bureau of Statistics spokesperson Fu Linghui (傅令輝) told a news conference. “The challenging global picture will prevent much pick-up in Chinese exports.”Low domestic demand despite low inflation has slowed China’s economic recovery.
