China's economy grew 5.2% in the second quarter

China's economy grew more than expected in the second quarter of this year, supported by strong export growth to markets outside the United States, despite weak domestic consumer demand.

Data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Tuesday showed that gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 5.2% year-on-year in the April-June period, exceeding the 5.1% growth forecast, but a slowdown from the 5.4% growth in the first three months of this year.

Consumption accounted for just over 52% of the world's second-largest economy's growth in the second quarter, compared to more than 60% in the same period last year.

Industrial production rose 6.8% year-on-year in June, above the 5.6% growth forecast, while retail sales growth slowed to 4.8% compared to the same period last year and below the 5.4% estimate.

Fixed-asset investment rose 2.8% in the January-June period, while real estate investment contracted 11.2% over the same period. The urban unemployment rate remained stable at 5% in June, unchanged from the previous month