China probably will surpass the US as the world's largest exporter of manufactured goods this year, propelled by its embrace of advanced technology, a study by a US industry group says.  In 2001 China exported half the amount of factory goods the US did. Since then, Chinese exports of those goods-- including auto parts, toys and semiconductors-- have grown by more than 25 percent a year to$713 billion in 2005. Assuming an "unlikely" slowing in export growth to 20 percent, China still would pass the US in those exports this year, said the report by Ernest Preeg, a senior fellow at the Manufacturers Alliance in Arlington, Virginia, an association that represents companies such as Caterpillar Inc. and Motorola Inc.  (CE.cn)

Shanghai's retail sales grew 12 percent in the first two months of this year, led by surging restaurant receipts and growing auto deals. The city's retail sales totaled 54.48 billion yuan (US$6.78 billion) in January and February, the Shanghai Statistics Bureau reported yesterday. Restaurants sales rose the most at 23.4 percent year on year to 7.09 billion yuan in January and February, as demand increased during the holidays. (Shanghai Daily)