My Daily Routine (MD Mujeeb Subhan)

AFP/Files BEIJING: China's industrial output returned to growth for the first time this year in April, official data showed Friday, but another sharp drop in retail sales indicated crucial consumer demand remains weak, which could scotch hopes for a quick economic recovery. a after weeks of lockdowns around the world. The forecast-beating 3.9% rise in industrial production was taken as a sign that China — where the pathogen first emerged — is bouncing back after weeks of shutdowns that helped shrink the world's number two economy 6.8% in the first quarter. The reading — which overshot the 1.5% estimate in a Bloomberg poll — came after a small downturn in March and 13.5% collapse in the first two months of the year, which marked the first contraction in three decades. However, with the consumer playing an increasingly key role in the Chinese economy, news that retail sales dropped 7.5% highlighted the tough road ahead as people worry about returning to their normal h...