Global markets rise despite slowest Chinese growth for 30 years

Investors shrug off slowdown as new data fuels optimism China can ride out US trade war

China's economy stumbled last year to its lowest growth rate in almost 30 years after the tit-for-tat trade war with the US took its toll on manufacturing output and consumer spending.

The world's second-largest economic power grew by 6.1% in 2019, down from 6.8% in 2018, and the lowest rate in 29 years.

The roots of the dispute come from US president Donald Trump's "America first" project to protect the US' position as the world's leading economy, while encouraging businesses to hire more workers in the US and to manufacture their products there.