China set to report retail sales and industrial production data for October

BEIJING — China's National Bureau of Statistics is scheduled Friday to release retail sales, industrial production and fixed-asset investment data for October.

Retail sales are expected to have picked up to 3.8% year-on-year growth, according to analysts polled by Reuters, after rising by 3.2% in September.

Industrial production was forecast to have risen by 5.6%, the poll showed, up from 5.4% the prior month.

Fixed-asset investment, reported on a year-to-date basis, was anticipated to post 3.5% growth from a year ago, up from the 3.4% pace in September, according to the poll.

Chinese authorities have ramped up stimulus announcements since late September, fueling a stock rally. The central bank has cut interest rates and extended existing real estate support.

On the fiscal front, the Ministry of Finance last week announced a five-year 10 trillion yuan ($1.4 trillion) program to address local government debt problems, and hinted more fiscal support could come next year.

Manufacturing surveys indicated a pickup in activity last month, while exports surged at their fastest pace in more than a year.

Imports, however, fell as domestic demand remained soft. The core consumer price index that strips out more volatile food and energy prices rose by 0.2% in October from a year ago, modestly better than the 0.1% increase seen in September.

Beyond a trade-in program to encourage car and home appliance sales, Beijing's stimulus measures have not targeted consumers directly.

China's Golden Week holiday in early October affirmed a trend in more cautious consumer spending, but several consultants said that sales during the Singles Day shopping festival, which recently ended, had beat low expectations.

The country's gross domestic product in the first three quarters of the year grew by 4.8%. The country has set a target of around 5% growth for the year.

This is a developing story. Please check back later for updates.