China’s main economic indicators fared better than forecast to start 2026, in a sign that momentum was improving before the war in Iran roiled the outlook for global growth and inflation. Industrial production climbed 6.3 per cent in the January-February period from a year ago, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on March 16. That is the fastest growth since September, a performance that likely benefited from a surprising surge in exports early in 2026. [...]