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China's April retail sales growth slowed to 5.1%, below analysts' expectations, raising concerns about consumption. Industrial output grew faster than predicted at 6.1%, but slowed from March. Fixed-asset investment also underperformed expectations. However, the urban unemployment rate decreased to 5.1%, and a recent US-China trade truce led to increased container bookings, suggesting potential economic rebound. Despite export drops to the US, overall exports surged due to increased shipments to Southeast Asia. The government implemented stimulus measures, but economists suggest these may be paused given the trade deal and relatively strong domestic economy.

Prepared by Christopher Adams and reviewed by editorial team.