Chinese govt delays GDP data release due Tuesday, no reason given

China delayed the release of third-quarter gross domestic product data, which were scheduled for release Tuesday, without giving any reason.

The National Bureau of Statistics updated its release schedule on Monday, with the dates for major economic indicators due this week marked as “delayed.” A previous schedule had the data scheduled for release at 10 a.m. Tuesday.

Indicators that were delayed include quarterly GDP as well as the monthly industrial output, energy production, fixed asset investment, property investment and sales, retail sales and home prices.

Economists polled by Bloomberg had expected a rebound in China’s third-quarter GDP to 3.3% after near-zero growth in the April-June period when major cities including Shanghai were in lockdown. 

China’s General Administration of Customs also didn’t publish monthly trade data that were scheduled for release on Oct. 14. The agency didn’t provide any reason for the delay.

The Communist Party is holding a twice-a-decade congress in Beijing this week, where government officials are gathered.