Chinese factory output and other economic activity weakened in July John Franklin-Myers Jersey , data showed Friday, but an official tried to reassure companies and investors growth is stable.


Growth in retail sales Brian Allen Jersey , factory output and investment all decelerated from June levels, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.


Private sector analysts have warned economic growth Joseph Noteboom Jersey , which held steady at 6.7 percent for the three months ending in June, was showing signs of weakening heading into the current quarter.


The data indicate "the third quarter has started off on a weak footing Eric Dickerson Jersey ," said Brian Jackson of IHS Markit in a report.


However, a spokesman for the statistics bureau said the weakening was due partly to summer flooding that caused 200 billion yuan ($35 billion) in losses and other one-time factors.


"The trend is good Rob Havenstein Jersey ," said Sheng Laiyun at a news conference. "Even though economic growth dropped slightly, the economy is stable and making steady progress Tyler Higbee Jersey , and the steady trend toward improvement has not changed."


Sheng acknowledged China faces "downward pressure" from weak global demand as Beijing makes a marathon effort to nurture consumer-driven growth and reduce reliance on trade and investment.


July retail sales rose 10.2 percent in July from a year earlier, down from June's 10.6 percent growth. Factory output rose 6 percent Jared Goff Jersey , down from 6.2 percent in June.


Investment in factories, real estate and other fixed assets rose 2.1 percent in the seven months ending in July Samson Ebukam Jersey , down from the first half's 2.8 percent and 5.7 percent in the first quarter.


Customs data earlier showed July exports contracted by 4.4 percent from a year ago while imports plunged 12.5 percent.








VILNIUS， May 8 (Xinhua) -- Less than half a year to the upcoming national elections， Lithuania has found itself amid an unexpected havoc due to increasing food prices.


The society's resentment was triggered recently by a few notices on the social networks. In some of them， authors expressed their anger due to unusually expensive cucumbers， tomatoes and other vegetables in the shopping centers.


However， a cauliflower became a symbol of public revolt against food price increase after Nijole Ozelyte， a Lithuanian actress， posted angrily on her FB profile: "When the last time you paid 12 litas (previous Lithuanian currency) for a cauliflower?"


She also shared the then price of the cauliflower， 3.49 euros (3.98 U.S. dollars)， and pointed to one particular retail chain in Lithuania.


The resentment was spread over the social networks and reached an extent in which the government was forced to react， while famous economists started to dig what could be the real cause of the alleged price increase.


Lithuania became a member of the euro zone in January 2015， with exchange rate of euro to litas at 1:3.45. It was widely feared that prices for goods and services would significantly increase immediately after euro introduction due to customers-unfavorable price rounding， however， initially the process of transition to the euro was smoother than expected by many.


Nevertheless， some believe that retailers abstained from raising prices right after the euro adoption yet they did so later on.


GOVERNMENT'S REACTION


The government struggled to explain the reasons of price increase and appease the society.


"I can clearly say that this is not due to the euro; most of the goods are being imported from the euro zone countries， therefore， prices changes are due to other reasons than euro， such as market challenges， bad harvest and others，" Algirdas Butkevicius， Lithuania's prime minister， was quoted as saying by the local media this week.


He acknowledged that prices of certain food products， fruits and vegetables in particular， in Lithuania rose more significantly in the first quarter this year， compared with the same period in 2015. However， he noted that prices of certain locally produced meat and dairy products were lower this year.


The head of the government instructed the State Tax Inspectorate (VMI) and the Competition Council to monitor markup of certain product groups.


Lithuania's social democrats， the prime minister's party in the ruling coalition， also initiated reduction of value added tax (VAT) to 5 or 9 percent rate instead of the current 21 percent on fresh or chilled meat starting October this year. The proposal will be presented to the government and the parliament.


Loreta Grauziniene， the parliament's speaker， noted later that the proposal could reach the parliament already this summer.


RETAILERS' PRICING POLICIES


Nevertheless， Lithuanian shoppers are suspicious about pricing policies at the largest local retail chains， claiming that companies unjustifiably increased prices as purchasing power of the country's residents have augmented and they are used to buy main staple foods in the shopping centers rather than small shops or market places.


Some of the owners of retail trade networks are the richest people in Lithuania.


However， retailers fire back saying that fluctuating of prices is an everyday reality in the