A survey of US businesses in China showed they found profitability and sales harder to come by in 2012, reflecting rising competition and slowing growth in the country, Reuters reported. The annual survey conducted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai found that the number of foreign firms in the city reporting they were profitable dropped from 78% in 2011 to 73% this year. The majority of firms also said that competition has intensified. The survey of 420 US firms operating in China identifies human resources restraints, heightened domestic competition and rising costs as the main business challenges.