China industrial output growth eases to 14.7 pct

Growth in China's industrial output eased to 14.7 percent in July from a year earlier, taking a hit from weakening exports, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Thursday.

The figure marked a slowdown from 16.0 percent growth in June and 18.0 percent in July of last year, according to previously published data.

"The deceleration in export growth was the main reason for the slowdown in industrial output," the bureau said.

It said export growth in July was 26.9 percent, compared with a more robust 34.2 percent in July of last year.

A reduction in external demand brought about by the slowdown in the global economy and the strengthening of the Chinese currency were among key factors in causing export growth to weaken, it said.

"A rise in enterprise production costs have also impacted industrial output."

In particular, it said, the prices of crude oil and iron ore had spilled over into higher costs for local companies.

In the first seven months of the year, industrial output expanded 16.1 percent from the same period in 2007.

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