let s start in china, where the latest figures just released show the world s second largest economy grew faster than expected in the first three months of the year at 4.5%. this is the first set of quarterly gdp figures following the end of strict covid 19 restrictions in december. they also follow the easing of a three year crackdown on tech firms and property. lets get reaction from julian evans pritchard, head of china economics at capital economics. this is better than expected. most people are saying we re looking at 4% growth, give us your take on this number? really the strength is all about the consumer centre, we saw the vigors beads on the retail sales numbers are more generally in qrs or the household savings rates, so households are feeling more comfortable, households are feeling more comfortable, spinning again, they have comfortable, spinning again, they have the comfortable, spinning again, they have the possibility - comfortable, spinning again, they ha
similarities to be - etc? indeed, there are| similarities to be drawn between what we have been talking about with job losses in the us and uk because while we are seeing signs of a listening labour market and both it has got to be said that the labour market remains extremely strong. for instance in the uk the unemployment rate is close to a 50 year low, a shortage of labour, so signs probably today from the uk as we have seen in the us of loosening, but really from a very tight level for the labour market. jane foley, head of fx strategy at rabobank. let s get some of the day s other news. hollywood writers voted overwhelmingly in favour of giving union negotiators the power to call a strike, moving a step closer to a production shutdown that would hamper studios and disrupt what viewers see on television. writers say they have suffered during the streaming tv boom, in part due to shorter seasons, and they are seeking pay increases from netflix, walt disney and other studios. the spe