BEIJING—China reported economic growth sank to a post-global crisis low as finance officials launched a media blitz Friday to shore up confidence in its sagging stock market. Officials led by China’s economic czar, Vice Premier Liu He, tried Friday to reassure investors about a stock market that has sagged 30 per cent since January. The United States, Europe and other trading partners say those violate Beijing’s market-opening commitments. Regulators have ordered banks to step up lending, especially to entrepreneurs who create most of China’s new jobs and wealth. Forecasters say that if all the tariff hikes both sides have threatened are imposed, that could cut China’s 2019 growth by up to 0.3 percentage points.

Source: thestar October 19, 2018 16:41 UTC