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By Ellen Zhang and Kevin Yao BEIJING (Reuters) -China's economic growth slowed to the weakest pace in a year in the third quarter, as a property crisis and trade tensions hurt demand, leaving policymakers with the daunting challenge of rebalancing GDP drivers towards greater consumption over time. Authorities have unveiled modest stimulus measures this year, supported by resilient exports and strong stock markets, but renewed U.S.-China trade tensions pose risks. While there is room for additional support, analysts are divided over whether policymakers will act this year. Data on Monday showed gross domestic product (GDP) grew 4.8% in July-September, slowing from 5.2% in the second quarter and in line with analysts' expectations in a Reuters poll for a rise of 4.8%. China is aiming for full-year growth of around 5%. "The market understanding was that China is going to miss the target, no matter what. Even with stimulus, it was going to be below 5%," said Dan Wang, China director at Eurasia Group. "But judging by the figure for the first three quarters, it's going to hit the target, suggesting China can withstand any pressure from the U.S., even with such levels of tariff threats and export restrictions. Beijing is sending the signal that it is capable of reaching its development goals and is strongly committed to its policies." On a quarterly basis, GDP grew 1.1% in the third quarter, the National Bureau of Statistics data showed, compared with a forecast 0.8% increase and a revised 1.0% gain in the previous quarter. TRADE RIFT HIGHLIGHT WEAKNESS IN LOPSIDED ECONOMY Renewed trade tensions with Washington have highlighted the vulnerabilities of China's lopsided economy, which relies heavily on manufacturing and overseas demand. This has raised expectations that Chinese leaders may embrace painful changes to rebalance growth towards domestic consumption. While China's export growth rebounded in September, much of the recent data show the world's second-largest economy has lost momentum, and deflationary pressures have persisted despite efforts to curb overcapacity and fierce competition among firms. Despite resilient headline figures, exporters are already feeling the impact of higher U.S. tariffs imposed earlier this year, forcing many to diversify into new markets. U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to raise tariffs on Chinese goods by an additional 100% starting November 1. However, U.S. officials have signalled that both countries were prepared to lower the temperature in their tariff spat. CHINA'S FIVE-YEAR PLAN IN FOCUS Chinese leaders will hold a closed-door meeting from Monday through to Thursday to discuss, among other things, the country's 15th five-year development plan, which is expected to prioritise high-tech manufacturing in the wake of the intensifying rivalry with the United States. Investors are also looking to a Politburo meeting and the Central Economic Work Conference, expected in December, for clues on economic policy for next year. "Q4 will be structurally different, heavy in investment and light in consumption. After all, negative investment growth is not something policymakers want to see," said Tianchen Xu, senior economist at Economist Intelligence Unit in Beijing. "Supportive measures rolled out since September like policy finance tools and the frontloaded government bond issuance are directed towards public investment projects." Separate September activity data, which were also released on Monday, showed industrial output grew to a three-month high of 6.5% year-on-year, accelerating from a 5.2% increase in August and beating a forecast of 5.0%. Retail sales growth slowed to their weakest in 10 months at 3.0% in September, from 3.4% in August, matching a forecast rise of 3.0%. Fixed asset investment shrank 0.5% in the first nine months compared with the same period last year, versus 0.5% growth in the January-to-August period and an expected 0.1% expansion. Property investment in China fell 13.9% in the first three quarters year-on-year, after dropping 12.9% in the January-to-August period, official data showed on Monday. A prolonged property crisis has weighed heavily on growth and consumer confidence in China, with momentum already pressured by the U.S. trade spat. (Reporting by Ellen Zhang and Kevin YaoEditing by Shri Navaratnam)

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BEIJING (Reuters) -China's new home prices fell at the fastest pace in 11 months in September, worsening the property sector's drag on broader economic growth as policymakers struggle to revive the flailing market. Persistent property market weakness is weighing on consumer confidence and sapping household spending, building the case for policymakers to step up support to shore up growth amid global trade threats. New home prices fell 0.4% month-on-month, following a 0.3% fall in August, according to calculations by Reuters based on National Bureau of Statistics data released on Monday. Year-on-year, prices fell 2.2% in September versus a 2.5% drop in August. "If the value of real estate, especially in first-tier cities, continues to shrink, people will feel they have less money to spend and will expect even less in the future," said Hanna Liu, China economist at Nomura. "We think it's possible to reintroduce measures to stabilise, or even slightly increase, housing prices in first-tier cities, as this would be the most helpful means for boosting consumption," said Liu. BIG IDEAS NEEDED TO REVIVE MARKET September and October are traditionally the peak season for property buying as developers launch sales campaigns to attract consumers during national holidays. But a prolonged property downturn since 2021, marked by many developers failing to repay debt and complete presold homes, has soured consumer sentiment. Separate data released on Monday showed China's headline economic growth slowed in the third quarter, hurt by the property slump and a U.S. trade war. More support for demand, such as lowering mortgage rates and expanding the scope of personal income tax deductions, may be introduced in the fourth-quarter to bolster confidence, according to Zhang Dawei, chief analyst at Centaline Property Agency. Zhang expects property transaction volumes to drop 10% this year. Of the 70 cities surveyed by the NBS, 63 reported month-on-month declines in home prices, and 61 recorded year-on-year falls. Secondary home prices slid 3.2% year-on-year in tier-one cities, 5.0% in tier-two, and 5.7% in tier-three. Separate data shows faster falls in property investment and sales in January–September. Once a key driver of economic growth in China, the property sector has turned into a significant drag. China has in the past two years repeatedly pledged to stabilise the real estate market and rolled out numerous policies, including mortgage rate cuts and a campaign to accelerate urban village redevelopment. Local authorities have also eased curbs for buying homes to encourage consumption. But the market remains weak and analysts warn it could take a year or more for prices and investment to recover. Nomura analysts said in a report last week that the government would need to "more seriously address the fallout from the property market collapse" in its new five-year plan for 2026 to 2030. "The tone set by the meeting for the property market will still prioritise sector stability, while encouraging local stimulus policies such as home purchase subsidies and tax reductions," said Jeff Zhang, property equity analyst at Morningstar. The elite Central Committee of China's ruling Communist Party will hold a closed-door meeting from Monday to Thursday to discuss, among other things, the country's 15th five-year development plan. (Reporting by Yukun Zhang, Liangping Gao and Ryan Woo; Editing by Kim Coghill and Sam Holmes)

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(Reuters) -China's economic growth slowed to the weakest pace in a year in the third quarter, matching expectations, as a prolonged property slump and trade tensions hurt demand, keeping pressure on policymakers to roll out more stimulus to shore up momentum. Data on Monday showed gross domestic product (GDP) grew 4.8% in July-September, slowing from 5.2% in the second quarter and in line with analysts' expectations in a Reuters poll for a rise of 4.8%. KEY POINTS * Q3 GDP +4.8% y/y (f'cast +4.8%, Q2 +5.2%) * Q3 GDP +1.1% q/q s/adj (f'cast +0.8%, Q2 +1.0% revised) * September industrial output +6.5% y/y (f'cast +5.0%, August +5.2%) * September retail sales +3.0% y/y (forecast +3.0%, August +3.4%) * January-September fixed asset investment -0.5% y/y (forecast +0.1%, January-August +0.5%) * January-September property investment -13.9% y/y (January-August -12.9%) COMMENTARY KYLE RODDA, SENIOR FINANCIAL MARKETS ANALYST, CAPITAL.COM, MELBOURNE: "Better than expected but still underwhelming. Domestic activity remains weak and investment was sluggish too, suggesting more needs to be done to boost demand. Ultimately, the story is the same: an economy that is recovering from the post-pandemic slump, but with very little momentum." ALEX LOO, FX AND MACRO STRATEGIST, TD SECURITIES, SINGAPORE: "It is likely that Beijing will meet its growth target for 2025 of 'around 5%'. The impressive growth record year-to-date suggests little need for more fiscal stimulus at this juncture and Beijing would probably take a hard-line stance in pressing the U.S. to roll back its technology curbs in any potential trade deal. As the Fourth Plenum is underway, we expect USD/CNY to stay in a tight range as the People's Bank of China (PBOC) ensures volatility is kept at a minimum during these big political events." TONY SYCAMORE, ANALYST AT IG, SYDNEY: "Given everything that's going on… my initial read is it's a decent number. "I don't expect there will be any broad-based stimulus measures. I know we've got the fourth plenum and I don't expect there to be anything too significant. From now, we are going to continue to see targeted additional fiscal stimulus. There's probably an idea that the quarter-three GDP number will be the low point in this cycle and that they can try with that additional targeted stimulus. You know the anti-involution, all the rest of those measures to potentially get the Chinese economy back on a firmer footing into year-end." LI HAO, RESEARCH DIRECTOR, CYPRESS INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, BEIJING: "Third-quarter GDP growth was in line with expectations. At this stage, achieving the full-year growth target of 5% doesn't appear too difficult, assuming no major geopolitical or macroeconomic shocks. While short-term policy support may not exceed expectations, medium- to long-term efforts to stimulate domestic demand must continue. "September data shows the underlying economic structure remains unchanged. Domestic demand is still weak, with investment and consumption falling short of forecasts. Meanwhile, resilient exports suggest front-loading of overseas orders is still driving factory activity." DAN WANG, CHINA DIRECTOR, EURASIA GROUP: "The market understanding was that China is going to miss the target, no matter what. Even with stimulus, it was going to be below 5%. But judging by the figure for the first three quarters, it's going to hit the target, suggesting China can withstand any pressure from the U.S., even with such levels of tariff threats and export restrictions. Beijing is sending the signal that it is capable of reaching its development goals and is strongly committed to its policies." TIANCHEN XU, SENIOR ECONOMIST, ECONOMIST INTELLIGENCE UNIT, BEIJING: "Q4 will be structurally different, heavy in investment and light in consumption. After all, negative investment growth is not something policymakers want to see. Supportive measures rolled out since September like policy finance tools and the front-loaded government bond issuance are directed towards public investment projects." ZHIWEI ZHANG, CHIEF ECONOMIST, PINPOINT ASSET MANAGEMENT: "China GDP growth slowed further in Q3. The fixed asset investment growth turned negative year-to-date, which is rare and alarming. The Ministry of Finance announced the RMB 500 billion stimulus on Friday. It should help to mitigate the downward pressure on investment in Q4. Nonetheless, the risk to GDP growth in Q4 is likely on the downside." BACKGROUND * China's economy has steadily lost momentum following a strong start to the year, weighed down by a prolonged property slump, weak consumption and trade tensions. * Trade friction with Washington has intensified after China expanded its rare earth export controls, prompting a threat from U.S. President Donald Trump to raise tariffs by an additional 100% starting November 1. * However, U.S. officials have signalled that both countries were prepared to lower the temperature in their tariff spat. * China has rolled out modest support measures this year to preserve policy space for future shocks, taking advantage of resilient exports and strong stock markets. * China's heavy reliance on manufacturing and overseas demand has made it vulnerable to external shocks. Exporters are already feeling the impact of higher U.S. tariffs imposed earlier this year. * While China's export growth rebounded in September, much of the recent data shows the world's second-largest economy has lost momentum. * China's economy is projected to grow 4.8% this year, below the official target of around 5%, according to a Reuters poll. Growth is expected to ease further to 4.3% in 2026. (Reporting by Reuters Asia bureaus; Compiled and edited by Subhranshu Sahu)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Ella Cao and Lewis Jackson BEIJING (Reuters) -China imported no soybeans from the U.S. in September, the first time since November 2018 that shipments fell to zero, while South American shipments surged from a year earlier, as buyers shunned American cargoes during the ongoing trade dispute between the world's two largest economies. Imports last month from the U.S. fell to zero from 1.7 million metric tons a year earlier, data from China's General Administration of Customs showed on Monday. Shipments fell because of the high tariffs China has imposed on U.S. imports and as previously harvested U.S. supplies, known as old-crop beans, have already been traded. China is the world's biggest soybean importer. "This is mainly due to tariffs. In a typical year, some old-crop beans would still enter the market," said Wan Chengzhi, an analyst at Capital Jingdu Futures. Brazil arrivals last month jumped 29.9% year-on-year to 10.96 million tons, accounting for 85.2% of China's total imports of the oilseed, customs data showed, while shipments from Argentina rose 91.5% to 1.17 million tons, or 9% of the total. China's soybean imports reached 12.87 million metric tons in September, the second-highest level on record. China has not purchased any U.S. soybean cargoes from this autumn's harvest. The window for U.S. soybean purchases is rapidly closing as buyers secure shipments through November, largely from Brazil and Argentina, helped by Argentina's brief tax holiday. Without a breakthrough in trade talks, U.S. farmers could face billions in losses as Chinese crushers continue sourcing from South America. Beijing, however, may also face a potential supply crunch early next year before Brazil's new crops hit the market. "A soybean supply gap may emerge in China between February and April next year if there's no trade deal in place. Brazil has already shipped a huge volume, and no one knows how much old-crop stock remains," said Johnny Xiang, founder of Beijing-based AgRadar Consulting. Trade negotiations between Beijing and Washington appear to be regaining momentum after weeks of fresh tariff threats and export controls. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday he believed a soybean deal would be reached. For the January-September period, China imported 63.7 million tons from Brazil, up 2.4% year-on-year, and 2.9 million tons from Argentina, up 31.8% year-on-year. Even as Chinese buyers are shunning this year's U.S. harvest, purchases earlier in 2025 mean that year-to-date imports of American beans have totalled 16.8 million tons, up 15.5%, data showed. (Reporting by Ella Cao and Lewis Jackson; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

(Reuters) -China's economic growth slowed to the weakest pace in a year in the third quarter, matching expectations, as a prolonged property slump and trade tensions hurt demand, keeping pressure on policymakers to roll out more stimulus to shore up momentum. Data on Monday showed gross domestic product (GDP) grew 4.8% in July-September, slowing from 5.2% in the second quarter and in line with analysts' expectations in a Reuters poll for a rise of 4.8%. KEY POINTS * Q3 GDP +4.8% y/y (f'cast +4.8%, Q2 +5.2%) * Q3 GDP +1.1% q/q s/adj (f'cast +0.8%, Q2 +1.0% revised) * September industrial output +6.5% y/y (f'cast +5.0%, August +5.2%) * September retail sales +3.0% y/y (forecast +3.0%, August +3.4%) * January-September fixed asset investment -0.5% y/y (forecast +0.1%, January-August +0.5%) * January-September property investment -13.9% y/y (January-August -12.9%) COMMENTARY KYLE RODDA, SENIOR FINANCIAL MARKETS ANALYST, CAPITAL.COM, MELBOURNE: "Better than expected but still underwhelming. Domestic activity remains weak and investment was sluggish too, suggesting more needs to be done to boost demand. Ultimately, the story is the same: an economy that is recovering from the post-pandemic slump, but with very little momentum." ALEX LOO, FX AND MACRO STRATEGIST, TD SECURITIES, SINGAPORE: "It is likely that Beijing will meet its growth target for 2025 of 'around 5%'. The impressive growth record year-to-date suggests little need for more fiscal stimulus at this juncture and Beijing would probably take a hard-line stance in pressing the U.S. to roll back its technology curbs in any potential trade deal. As the Fourth Plenum is underway, we expect USD/CNY to stay in a tight range as the People's Bank of China (PBOC) ensures volatility is kept at a minimum during these big political events." TONY SYCAMORE, ANALYST AT IG, SYDNEY: "Given everything that's going on… my initial read is it's a decent number. "I don't expect there will be any broad-based stimulus measures. I know we've got the fourth plenum and I don't expect there to be anything too significant. From now, we are going to continue to see targeted additional fiscal stimulus. There's probably an idea that the quarter-three GDP number will be the low point in this cycle and that they can try with that additional targeted stimulus. You know the anti-involution, all the rest of those measures to potentially get the Chinese economy back on a firmer footing into year-end." LI HAO, RESEARCH DIRECTOR, CYPRESS INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, BEIJING: "Third-quarter GDP growth was in line with expectations. At this stage, achieving the full-year growth target of 5% doesn't appear too difficult, assuming no major geopolitical or macroeconomic shocks. While short-term policy support may not exceed expectations, medium- to long-term efforts to stimulate domestic demand must continue. "September data shows the underlying economic structure remains unchanged. Domestic demand is still weak, with investment and consumption falling short of forecasts. Meanwhile, resilient exports suggest front-loading of overseas orders is still driving factory activity." DAN WANG, CHINA DIRECTOR, EURASIA GROUP: "The market understanding was that China is going to miss the target, no matter what. Even with stimulus, it was going to be below 5%. But judging by the figure for the first three quarters, it's going to hit the target, suggesting China can withstand any pressure from the U.S., even with such levels of tariff threats and export restrictions. Beijing is sending the signal that it is capable of reaching its development goals and is strongly committed to its policies." TIANCHEN XU, SENIOR ECONOMIST, ECONOMIST INTELLIGENCE UNIT, BEIJING: "Q4 will be structurally different, heavy in investment and light in consumption. After all, negative investment growth is not something policymakers want to see. Supportive measures rolled out since September like policy finance tools and the front-loaded government bond issuance are directed towards public investment projects." ZHIWEI ZHANG, CHIEF ECONOMIST, PINPOINT ASSET MANAGEMENT: "China GDP growth slowed further in Q3. The fixed asset investment growth turned negative year-to-date, which is rare and alarming. The Ministry of Finance announced the RMB 500 billion stimulus on Friday. It should help to mitigate the downward pressure on investment in Q4. Nonetheless, the risk to GDP growth in Q4 is likely on the downside." BACKGROUND * China's economy has steadily lost momentum following a strong start to the year, weighed down by a prolonged property slump, weak consumption and trade tensions. * Trade friction with Washington has intensified after China expanded its rare earth export controls, prompting a threat from U.S. President Donald Trump to raise tariffs by an additional 100% starting November 1. * However, U.S. officials have signalled that both countries were prepared to lower the temperature in their tariff spat. * China has rolled out modest support measures this year to preserve policy space for future shocks, taking advantage of resilient exports and strong stock markets. * China's heavy reliance on manufacturing and overseas demand has made it vulnerable to external shocks. Exporters are already feeling the impact of higher U.S. tariffs imposed earlier this year. * While China's export growth rebounded in September, much of the recent data shows the world's second-largest economy has lost momentum. * China's economy is projected to grow 4.8% this year, below the official target of around 5%, according to a Reuters poll. Growth is expected to ease further to 4.3% in 2026. (Reporting by Reuters Asia bureaus; Compiled and edited by Subhranshu Sahu)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Ellen Zhang and Kevin Yao BEIJING (Reuters) -China's economic growth slowed to the weakest pace in a year in the third quarter, as a property crisis and trade tensions hurt demand, leaving policymakers with the daunting challenge of rebalancing GDP drivers towards greater consumption over time. Authorities have unveiled modest stimulus measures this year, supported by resilient exports and strong stock markets, but renewed U.S.-China trade tensions pose risks. While there is room for additional support, analysts are divided over whether policymakers will act this year. Data on Monday showed gross domestic product (GDP) grew 4.8% in July-September, slowing from 5.2% in the second quarter and in line with analysts' expectations in a Reuters poll for a rise of 4.8%. China is aiming for full-year growth of around 5%. "The market understanding was that China is going to miss the target, no matter what. Even with stimulus, it was going to be below 5%," said Dan Wang, China director at Eurasia Group. "But judging by the figure for the first three quarters, it's going to hit the target, suggesting China can withstand any pressure from the U.S., even with such levels of tariff threats and export restrictions. Beijing is sending the signal that it is capable of reaching its development goals and is strongly committed to its policies." On a quarterly basis, GDP grew 1.1% in the third quarter, the National Bureau of Statistics data showed, compared with a forecast 0.8% increase and a revised 1.0% gain in the previous quarter. TRADE RIFT HIGHLIGHT WEAKNESS IN LOPSIDED ECONOMY Renewed trade tensions with Washington have highlighted the vulnerabilities of China's lopsided economy, which relies heavily on manufacturing and overseas demand. This has raised expectations that Chinese leaders may embrace painful changes to rebalance growth towards domestic consumption. While China's export growth rebounded in September, much of the recent data show the world's second-largest economy has lost momentum, and deflationary pressures have persisted despite efforts to curb overcapacity and fierce competition among firms. Despite resilient headline figures, exporters are already feeling the impact of higher U.S. tariffs imposed earlier this year, forcing many to diversify into new markets. U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to raise tariffs on Chinese goods by an additional 100% starting November 1. However, U.S. officials have signalled that both countries were prepared to lower the temperature in their tariff spat. CHINA'S FIVE-YEAR PLAN IN FOCUS Chinese leaders will hold a closed-door meeting from Monday through to Thursday to discuss, among other things, the country's 15th five-year development plan, which is expected to prioritise high-tech manufacturing in the wake of the intensifying rivalry with the United States. Investors are also looking to a Politburo meeting and the Central Economic Work Conference, expected in December, for clues on economic policy for next year. "Q4 will be structurally different, heavy in investment and light in consumption. After all, negative investment growth is not something policymakers want to see," said Tianchen Xu, senior economist at Economist Intelligence Unit in Beijing. "Supportive measures rolled out since September like policy finance tools and the frontloaded government bond issuance are directed towards public investment projects." Separate September activity data, which were also released on Monday, showed industrial output grew to a three-month high of 6.5% year-on-year, accelerating from a 5.2% increase in August and beating a forecast of 5.0%. Retail sales growth slowed to their weakest in 10 months at 3.0% in September, from 3.4% in August, matching a forecast rise of 3.0%. Fixed asset investment shrank 0.5% in the first nine months compared with the same period last year, versus 0.5% growth in the January-to-August period and an expected 0.1% expansion. Property investment in China fell 13.9% in the first three quarters year-on-year, after dropping 12.9% in the January-to-August period, official data showed on Monday. A prolonged property crisis has weighed heavily on growth and consumer confidence in China, with momentum already pressured by the U.S. trade spat. (Reporting by Ellen Zhang and Kevin YaoEditing by Shri Navaratnam)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

(Reuters) -China's economic growth slowed to the weakest pace in a year in the third quarter, matching expectations, as a prolonged property slump and trade tensions hurt demand, keeping pressure on policymakers to roll out more stimulus to shore up momentum. Data on Monday showed gross domestic product (GDP) grew 4.8% in July-September, slowing from 5.2% in the second quarter and in line with analysts' expectations in a Reuters poll for a rise of 4.8%. KEY POINTS * Q3 GDP +4.8% y/y (f'cast +4.8%, Q2 +5.2%) * Q3 GDP +1.1% q/q s/adj (f'cast +0.8%, Q2 +1.0% revised) * September industrial output +6.5% y/y (f'cast +5.0%, August +5.2%) * September retail sales +3.0% y/y (forecast +3.0%, August +3.4%) * January-September fixed asset investment -0.5% y/y (forecast +0.1%, January-August +0.5%) * January-September property investment -13.9% y/y (January-August -12.9%) COMMENTARY ALEX LOO, FX AND MACRO STRATEGIST, TD SECURITIES, SINGAPORE: "It is likely that Beijing will meet its growth target for 2025 of 'around 5%'. The impressive growth record year-to-date suggests little need for more fiscal stimulus at this juncture and Beijing would probably take a hard-line stance in pressing the U.S. to roll back its technology curbs in any potential trade deal. As the Fourth Plenum is underway, we expect USD/CNY to stay in a tight range as the People's Bank of China (PBOC) ensures volatility is kept at a minimum during these big political events." TONY SYCAMORE, ANALYST AT IG, SYDNEY: "Given everything that's going on… my initial read is it's a decent number. "I don't expect there will be any broad-based stimulus measures. I know we've got the 4th plenum and I don't expect there to be anything too significant. From now, we are going to continue to see targeted additional fiscal stimulus. There's probably an idea that the quarter-three GDP number will be the low point in this cycle and that they can try with that additional targeted stimulus. You know the anti-involution, all the rest of those measures to potentially get the Chinese economy back on a firmer footing into year-end." LI HAO, RESEARCH DIRECTOR, CYPRESS INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, BEIJING: "Third-quarter GDP growth was in line with expectations. At this stage, achieving the full-year growth target of 5% doesn't appear too difficult, assuming no major geopolitical or macroeconomic shocks. While short-term policy support may not exceed expectations, medium- to long-term efforts to stimulate domestic demand must continue. "September data shows the underlying economic structure remains unchanged. Domestic demand is still weak, with investment and consumption falling short of forecasts. Meanwhile, resilient exports suggest front-loading of overseas orders is still driving factory activity." DAN WANG, CHINA DIRECTOR, EURASIA GROUP: "The market understanding was that China is going to miss the target, no matter what. Even with stimulus, it was going to be below 5%. But judging by the figure for the first three quarters, it's going to hit the target, suggesting China can withstand any pressure from the U.S., even with such levels of tariff threats and export restrictions. Beijing is sending the signal that it is capable of reaching its development goals and is strongly committed to its policies." TIANCHEN XU, SENIOR ECONOMIST, ECONOMIST INTELLIGENCE UNIT, BEIJING: "Q4 will be structurally different, heavy in investment and light in consumption. After all, negative investment growth is not something policymakers want to see. Supportive measures rolled out since September like policy finance tools and the front-loaded government bond issuance are directed towards public investment projects." ZHIWEI ZHANG, CHIEF ECONOMIST, PINPOINT ASSET MANAGEMENT: "China GDP growth slowed further in Q3. The fixed asset investment growth turned negative year-to-date, which is rare and alarming. The Ministry of Finance announced the RMB 500 billion stimulus on Friday. It should help to mitigate the downward pressure on investment in Q4. Nonetheless, the risk to GDP growth in Q4 is likely on the downside." BACKGROUND * China's economy has steadily lost momentum following a strong start to the year, weighed down by a prolonged property slump, weak consumption and trade tensions. * Trade friction with Washington has intensified after China expanded its rare earth export controls, prompting a threat from U.S. President Donald Trump to raise tariffs by an additional 100% starting November 1. * However, U.S. officials have signalled that both countries were prepared to lower the temperature in their tariff spat. * China has rolled out modest support measures this year to preserve policy space for future shocks, taking advantage of resilient exports and strong stock markets. * China's heavy reliance on manufacturing and overseas demand has made it vulnerable to external shocks. Exporters are already feeling the impact of higher U.S. tariffs imposed earlier this year. * While China's export growth rebounded in September, much of the recent data shows the world's second-largest economy has lost momentum. * China's economy is projected to grow 4.8% this year, below the official target of around 5%, according to a Reuters poll. Growth is expected to ease further to 4.3% in 2026. (Reporting by Reuters Asia bureaus; Compiled and edited by Subhranshu Sahu)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

BEIJING (Reuters) -China's economic growth slowed to the weakest pace in a year in the third quarter, matching expectations, as a prolonged property slump and trade tensions hurt demand, keeping pressure on policymakers to roll out more stimulus to shore up momentum. Authorities have unveiled modest stimulus measures this year, supported by resilient exports and strong stock markets, but renewed U.S.-China trade tensions pose risks. Beijing also faces a daunting challenge in rebalancing the economy towards greater consumption over time. While there is room for additional stimulus, analysts are divided over whether policymakers will act this year. Data on Monday showed gross domestic product (GDP) grew 4.8% in July-September, slowing from 5.2% in the second quarter and in line with analysts' expectations in a Reuters poll for a rise of 4.8%. On a quarterly basis, GDP grew 1.1% in the third quarter, the National Bureau of Statistics data showed, compared with a forecast 0.8% increase and a revised 1.0% gain in the previous quarter. Renewed trade tensions with Washington have highlighted the vulnerabilities of China's lopsided economy, which relies heavily on manufacturing and overseas demand. This has raised expectations that Chinese leaders may embrace painful changes to rebalance growth towards domestic consumption. While China's export growth rebounded in September, much of the recent data show the world's second-largest economy has lost momentum, and deflationary pressures have persisted despite efforts to curb overcapacity and fierce competition among firms. Despite resilient headline figures, exporters are already feeling the impact of higher U.S. tariffs imposed earlier this year, forcing many to diversify into new markets. U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to raise tariffs on Chinese goods by an additional 100% starting November 1. However, U.S. officials have signalled that both countries were prepared to lower the temperature in their tariff spat. Chinese leaders will hold a closed-door meeting from Monday through to Thursday to discuss, among other things, the country's 15th five-year development plan, which is expected to prioritise high-tech manufacturing in the wake of the intensifying rivalry with the United States. Investors are also looking to a Politburo meeting and the Central Economic Work Conference, expected in December, for clues on economic policy for next year. Separate September activity data, which were also released on Monday, showed industrial output grew 6.5% year-on-year in September, accelerating from a 5.2% increase in August and beating forecast of 5.0%. Retail sales growth slowed to 3.0% in September from 3.4% in August, matching a forecast rise of 3.0%. (Reporting by Kevin YaoEditing by Shri Navaratnam)

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By Svea Herbst-Bayliss NEW YORK (Reuters) -Activist investor Starboard Value, which built a 9% stake in Tripadvisor earlier this year, plans to discuss the need to make changes at the travel-review company at an industry conference on Tuesday, two sources familiar with the matter said on Sunday. Starboard, which is run by Jeff Smith, has been engaging with Tripadvisor for several weeks, the sources said. They were not permitted to talk about what was said during the private sessions. Smith has not discussed the investment publicly and it is not clear what changes Starboard, which often focuses on operational improvements, may have pressed management to make. A representative for Tripadvisor could not be reached for comment. Tripadvisor allows customers to find and review hotels. Its Viator unit lets users book and review tours and other experiences, while TheFork offers restaurant reservation services. In 2024, the company conducted a strategic review. For years, Smith has been the kickoff speaker at the annual 13D Monitor Active Passive Investment Summit in New York, which marks the unofficial start of the proxy season, where activist investors ratchet up pressure on companies to perform better. Smith is expected to discuss Tripadvisor and possibly other investments at the conference, the sources said. Starboard ranks among the industry's busiest activists and this year won board seats at automation software company BILL Holdings, design software company Autodesk and Tylenol and Band-Aid maker Kenvue. The share price of Tripadvisor, which has a market capitalization of $1.8 billion, has risen roughly 17% since Starboard's investment became public in early July. But in the last 12 months, its shares have gained just 0.33%. (Reporting by Svea Herbst-Bayliss; Editing by Thomas Derpinghaus.)

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