To: Loren S. who wrote (3036 ) 8/5/1998 10:23:00 AM From: O'Brien Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 9824
What i just dont get is why everyone acts like the 144 million (5 million in earnings)that we have in the mall doesnt exist. Heres an article on the growth of China i thought was interesting. A: Faster Growth Predicted For China's Economy (1) A: Faster Growth Predicted For China's Economy (1) BEIJING (Aug. 5) XINHUA - Even though China's economy grew a percentage point less than the targeted eight percent in the first half of this year, economists here say that major indices like investment and bank loans indicate a turn for the better. In the January-June period, the amount of bank loans was 15.6 percent more than for the same period last year, 0.4 percentage points higher than the January-May figure. Investment in fixed assets was also up 15 percent in the second quarter, from first quarter's 10.3 percent. This momentum is expected to continue in the second half, according to Xiang Huaicheng, the Finance Minister, who told a conference recently that China will adopt more measures to spend more on infrastructure to stimulate economic development. The Ministry of Transport has announced increased spending on road construction of 180 billion yuan, 50 percent more than was planned at the beginning of the year, and other measures are being considered. A State Statistics Bureau economist predicts that the growth in fixed assets investment will be above 15 percent in the second half and that this spending is likely to put economic growth above 7 percent. The People's Bank of China, the central bank, has cut interest rates five times to spur consumer spending and to stimulate the economy. But the first half of the year still had a slumping market and falling inflation and a retail price index that fell 2.1 percent. (more) 05/08/98 10:43 GMT *** end of story ***