oct 22, third quarter economic data on Thursday

China growth more than 7% in January-September - AP

AP reports China's economy expanded more than 7% in the first nine months of the year and will certainly surpass the 2009 growth target of 8%, a top economic official said Monday. China is due to release official third quarter economic data on Thursday. But in a briefing Monday in Beijing, Xiong Bilin, a top economic planner, told reporters the growth rate for January-September would be a bit above 7%. "Achieving a growth rate of 8% for the year is basically no problem," Xiong, a deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission, told reporters. Statistics for September showed improving trade, housing sales, manufacturing and car sales. The data suggest that resilience in retail sales and industrial production are helping offset the blow from falling exports to China's economy.