Beijing, Jul 16 (AP) China's economy rebounded from a painful contraction to grow by 3.2 per cent over a year earlier in the latest quarter as anti-virus lockdowns were lifted and factories and stores reopened.

The expansion reported Thursday was a dramatic improvement over the previous quarter's 6.8 per cent contraction — China's worst performance since at least the mid-1960s. But it still was the weakest positive figure since China started reporting quarterly growth in the early 1990s.

Also Read | Earthquake of Magnitude 4.1 Hits Karimganj in Gujarat at 7:57 am: Live News Breaking and Coronavirus Updates on July 16, 2020.

China, where the coronavirus pandemic began in December, was the first economy to shut down and the first to start the drawn-out process of recovery in March after the ruling Communist Party declared the disease under control.

Manufacturing and some other industries are almost back to normal operating levels. But consumer spending is weak due to public unease about possible job losses. Cinemas and some other businesses still are closed and restrictions on travel stay in place. (AP)

Also Read | Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, Under COVID-19 Quarantine, Bitten Hard by Emu-Like Bird at Presidential Palace.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)