2012.02.0901:09:00UTC+00China Q1 GDP Growth To Ease To 8.5%, Govt. Think Tank Says

China's economic growth may slow further during the first quarter of this year, China Securities Journal reported Thursday citing a statement by the State Information Center.

The government think tank predicts 8.5 percent growth for the economy during the first quarter, slower than 8.9 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011. In 2011, the economy grew 9.2 percent, according to official data.

Weakening demand from European countries and slower growth in China's fixed-asset investments will help ease domestic price pressures, pushing the country's consumer price index, a main gauge of inflation, down to 3.5 percent for the January-March period, Xinhua said citing the statement.

According to official data released today, inflation in China accelerated for the first time in 6 months reaching 4.5 percent in January, up from 4.1 percent in December.