China’s Q1 economic growth expected to slow to 7%

BEIJING – China’s top Government think tank, the State Information Centre (SIC), has disclosed in a report its expectations of the economy slowing to an annual 7% growth rate in the first quarter of 2015, joining the hordes of advisors pushing policymakers to roll out more stimulus measures to support growth and ward off deflation.

The forecast falls in line with the logic behind the decision by China’s Central Bank to cut interest rates for the second time in less than four months on Saturday, but those at SIC believe additional measures are necessary as well:

“Our country’s economic growth still faces relatively heavy downward pressure amid structural adjustments,” the report said. www.webershandwick.cn (ATI).