China's consumption, industrial profits stabilize in regional economies: state planner

Activity steadied in provinces across the world's second largest economy, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said on its website.

Industrial profits in the southern province of Guangdong and the southwestern metropolis of Chongqing rose more than 20 percent in the first quarter, fueled by industries including autos and electronics, the NDRC said.

China's economy grew 6.9 percent in 2015, its weakest pace in a quarter of a century, and some market watchers believe real growth levels may already be much weaker. In the first quarter of 2016, the economy grew 6.7 percent year-on-year - the slowest pace since the global financial crisis.

(Reporting by Sue-Lin Wong; Editing by Sam Holmes)