# China's industrial output grew 4.1% in April from a year earlier, slowing from the 5.7% pace in March.

*business · news · 2026-05-18 · MarketScreener*

## Key points

- China's industrial output in April grew 4.1%, down from 5.7% in March.
- April's industrial output missed analysts' expectations of 5.9% growth.
- Retail sales in April rose only 0.2%, far below the 2% forecasted.
- Fixed-asset investment contracted 1.6% in January-April 2026, defying expectations of expansion.

BEIJING, May 18 (Reuters) - China's industrial output grew 4.1% in April from a year earlier, slowing from the 5.7% pace in March, official data showed on Monday. The data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) missed expectations for a 5.9% increase in a Reuters poll. Retail sales, a gauge of consumption, rose just 0.2% in April, slowing sharply from 1.7% in March and were well below forecast centred on a 2% increase. Fixed-asset investment unexpectedly contracted 1.6% in the first four months of 2026, compared with a 1.7% rise in the January-March period. Economists had predicted a 1.6% expansion. (Reporting by Ethan Wang, Joe Cash and Ellen ZhangEditing by Shri Navaratnam)

**Countries:** China

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