China’s industrial output grew 14.1% in March year-on-year, slowing from a 35.1% surge in the January-February period, while retail sales rose at a solid pace, official data showed on Friday. The output figure lagged a 17.2% on-year rise forecast by analysts in a Reuters poll. Retail sales increased 34.2% year-on-year in March, beating a 28.0% gain expected by analysts and stronger than the 33.8% jump seen in the first two months of the year. Fixed asset investment surged 25.6% in the first three months from the same period a year earlier, versus a forecast 25.3% increase, and slowing from January-February’s 35% rise. (full story)