Finance trumps sex in Google China searches

The word "stocks" and the names of three domestic banks were entered into Google China’s search engine more often than the world "sex" in 2007, Reuters reported. China Merchants Bank, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and China Construction Bank ranked second, third and sixth, respectively, with "stocks" coming fourth. In first place was "QQ," which is the name of both a popular instant messaging service and a Chery car model. Unlike in many other countries, there was no place for "sex" near the top of the list. A state media report said this was not unusual for China, noting that "money" and "technology" were the two most searched terms in 2006. "Seeking knowledge," "what is a blue chip" and "how to invest in the stock market" were the most searched questions.