China GDP Growth at 4.3% Misses Target, Exports Surge 27%

China's economy grew by 4.3% in Q2 2023, falling short of Beijing's annual target of 4.5%-5% after a 5% gain in Q1. Government data released indicated that June exports increased by 27% year-over-year. This period represents the first complete quarter of GDP data since the onset of the Iran war on February 28, 2023, and the lowest quarterly growth since late 2022. Additionally, while retail sales improved by 1% in June, new home prices continued to experience a slight contraction of 0.1%. This information points to ongoing economic challenges that could impact global markets.