China's factories slow, consumers unexpectedly perk up

BEIJING (Reuters) -China's factory output growth hit a six-month low in May, while retail sales picked up steam, offering temporary relief for the world's second-largest economy amid a fragile truce in its trade war with the United States. The mixed data comes as China's economy strains under U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff onslaught and chronic weakness in the property sector, with entrenched home price declines showing no signs of reversing. However, retail sales rose 6.4%, much quicker than a 5.1% increase in April and forecasts for a 5.0% expansion, marking the fastest growth since December 2023.