China's first-quarter industrial profits rise at slower pace

Profits at China's industrial firms rose 4.3% in the first quarter from a year earlier, official data showed on Saturday, adding to evidence of an uneven recovery for the world's second-biggest economy.

The jump was slower than a 10.2% rise in the first two months, National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) data showed.

Profits fell 3.5% year-on-year in March, according to NBS.

Industrial profit numbers cover firms with annual revenue of at least 20 million yuan ($2.76 million) from their main operations.