China's gross domestic product (GDP) reached RMB 1.4 trillion in the first six months, up 7.1% year-on-year, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) July 16.

The country's consumer price index (CPI) decreased 1.1% year-on-year in the period. Of the total, living costs fell 3.9%, while transport and communications lost 2.5% year-on-year. China's producer price index fell 5.9% on an annual basis, with raw material costs falling 8.7%.

Total retail sales climbed 15% year-on-year to RMB 5.87 trillion.

Overseas trade in the period decreased 23.5% year-on-year to $946.1 billion, of which exports accounted for $521.5 billion and imports $424.6 billion, representing falls of 21.8% and 25.4% year-on-year, respectively, in the period.

According to data released by the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) China's non-financial overseas investments in the first half of the year stood at $12.4 billion, down 51.7% year-on-year.

Lisa