China's economy expanded 8.1 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2012, slowing from 8.9 percent in the fourth quarter of last year, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said Friday.

The quarterly growth was the slowest in 11 quarters and undershoot market expectation of 8.3 to 8.5 percent.

On a quarterly basis, the country's economy grew 1.8 percent in the first three months, NBS spokesman Sheng Laiyun said at a press conference.

According to preliminary statistics, the country's GDP reached 10.7995 trillion yuan (1.72 trillion U.S. dollars) during the period, Sheng said.

He noted the economy has maintained "a moderately fast growth pace" in the first quarter against the backdrop of stern global environment and new conditions emerging domestically.

China has lowered its full-year growth target at 7.5 percent in early March, after its economy grew 9.2 percent year-on-year in 2011.

China's Q1 overseas investment surges 95%

China's non-financial overseas direct investment (ODI) surged 94.5 percent year on year to 16.55 billion U.S. dollars in the first quarter of this year, the Ministry of Commerce announced (MOC) Tuesday.

China's Q1 fixed-asset investment up 20.9 pct

China's urban fixed asset investment rose 20.9 percent year-on-year to 4.7865 trillion yuan (761.22 billion U.S. dollars) in the first quarter of 2012, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said Friday.

China's industrial value-added output up 11.6 pct in Q1

China's industrial value-added output grew 11.6 percent year on year in the first quarter of this year, the National Bureau of Statistics said Friday.

China's retail sales up 14.8 pct in Q1

China's retail sales grew 14.8 percent year on year to 4.9319 trillion yuan (770.6 billion U.S. dollars) in the first quarter of this year, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said Friday.