Caixin said (September 28) that China’s economic rebound showed signs of plateauing in September, weighed down by lacklustre home and car sales, a weaker stock market and worsening business confidence. It said the aggregate index combining eight indicators tracked by Bloomberg this month slipped into contraction, compared to accelerated expansion in August. That’s the assessment from the earliest available indicators, which showed China’s recovery is losing pace. New home sales in China’s four biggest cities slowed in the first three weeks of September, reversing August’s pickup. Small-business confidence eased marginally after rising for six straight months, while a gauge of expectations rose further into growth territory. The pace of economic expansion moderated marginally for small businesses in September, despite the continued recovery, according to Standard Chartered PLC, which surveys more than 500 smaller firms each month. The growth momentum indicator eased from a month ago and the “current performance” reading retreated for the first time since March. Caixin added that China has staged an uneven recovery, initially driven by strong industrial output yet with recent data showing signs that consumption has started to catch up. A strong and broad spurt in spending is needed for a more meaningful economic rebound.