Combined profits at China's largest......>

CHINA DATA: Combined profits at China's largest industrial companies in April

fell 4.3% y/y, largely recovering from the 34.9% decline seen in March,

according to a statement released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on

Wednesday. More than half of 41 sectors reversed profit losses, and the profit

improvements in the automotive, special equipment, electrical machinery and

electronics sectors contributed 19.7 percentage points to the overall gain.

Despite the significant improvement the outlook for profits is dim given weak

market demand, falling industrial product prices and large cost pressures, the

NBS said.