China’s economy continued to slow in the first quarter of 2016, official statistics show. The country’s GDP was up 6.7% over the same period last year, reaching $2.4 trillion (AED 8.8 trillion), its slowest quarterly growth in seven years. Growth in the previous quarter was recorded at 6.8%. The figure is said to be in line with expectations, with several key indicators pointing to signs that the economy is stabilising. These include significant growth in investment in industrial assets and infrastructure, and robust retail sales.