Economists predict growth spurt despite controls

China's economy may have picked up speed during the second quarter, powered forward by record export levels and a boom in investment, a Bloomberg News survey of 30 economists showed. The median forecast of 10.4% growth from a year earlier is up on the 10.3% recorded in Q1, although official numbers are not expected until July 18. The announcement came as Premier Wen Jiabao called for tighter macroeconomic controls. In a radio speech, the premier said regional leaders must predict problems to "prevent unhealthy and unstable situations and the imbalances that can occur during fast economic development," the Wall Street Journal reported.