China's retail sales were likely to be up 12.9% in October after rising 12.7% in September, according a Bloomberg survey of 18 economists. This would make it the most rapid increase in four months. Industrial production was said to have risen 16.3% in October and fixed-asset investment in China's towns and cities appeared to be up 27.8% in 2005 to October. "China will be a major force for global growth,'' said Dong Tao, chief Asia economist as Credit Suisse First Boston in Hong Kong. "The economy will accelerate into 2006."