SHANGHAI — China’s economic data is usually very predictable. But occasionally there are surprises, though so small that by other countries’ standards they would barely be noticed.
The country’s economy, the world’s second-largest behind that of the United States, grew 6.9 percent in the first quarter, led by strong expansion at factories, Chinese officials said Monday. The pace was a slight acceleration in the economic tempo here after five consecutive quarters in which China reported growth of either 6.7 percent or 6.8 percent, a remarkable period of stability in the official data.
