After China postponed the publication of the development of economic performance in the third quarter at short notice, observers are speculating that the second-largest economy could be in even greater difficulties than previously assumed.
On Monday, the National Bureau of Statistics in Beijing canceled the Tuesday release of data on gross domestic product growth in the months from July to September without further explanation on its website and did not give a new date for the publication.
Henrik Ankenbrand
Economic correspondent for China based in Shanghai.
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The postponement doesn't make the country "look good," commented Jeremy Stevens, chief economist at Standard Bank.
However, the analyst, like other observers, pointed out that a possible reason for the postponement could be the 20th Congress of the Communist Party, which started in Beijing on Sunday.
Party leader and President Xi Jinping wants to be elected for a third term.
Since all official party leaders in China have remained in office for a maximum of ten years since the death of Mao Tse-tung in 1976, Xi's re-election is considered politically explosive.
Beware of further lockdowns
It is clear that the economic statistics are unlikely to be good.
China is struggling with massive problems, mainly due to Xi Jinping's strict zero-Covid policy, in which economic centers such as Shanghai were locked down for months.
Domestic demand in particular is not picking up pace as people hold onto their cash for fear of further lockdowns and job losses.
Youth unemployment is around 20 percent.
The National Development and Reform Commission, China's top economic planning authority, said on Monday that the economy "recovered significantly" in the third quarter.
After output in the second quarter had almost stagnated year-on-year, bank economists estimate that it will be around 3 percent in the third quarter.