Govt Official: 1Q-3Q GDP grew 7%-8%

China’s economy expanded between 7% and 8% from January to September, Dow Jones reported, citing an official with the Department of Industry at the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). The official declined to give any further details. The National Bureau of Statistics is scheduled to issue formal economic data for the third quarter and for September on Thursday. The median of forecasts produced by economists surveyed by Dow Jones predicts that third-quarter GDP in China will reach 9.1%. GDP grew at 7.9% in the second quarter and 6.1% in the first quarter. However, Stephen Roach, chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia, said that China‘s growth will slow in mid-2010 as the stimulus package fades and the effects of remaining weakness in US consumer demand reassert themselves.