Fixed-asset investment up 27% in first 7 months

The country's fixed-asset investment expanded 27.3 percent in the first seven months from a year ago, a sign that robust domestic demand is helping the nation to cope with weakening exports.

Spending on fixed assets such as plants, bridges and roads amounted to 7.22 trillion yuan ($1 trillion) by the end of last month, the National Bureau of Statistics said. The growth was faster than the 26.8 percent rise for the first half of the year.

Investment in real estate was particularly strong, up nearly 31 percent from a year earlier. Meanwhile, investment in coal, oil and railways also grew more than 30 percent.