Data showed growth in retail sales slowed to 8.4% in the first half of 2019, down 0.1 percentage points from the first quarter BEIJING: China’s economic growth slowed further in the quarter ending in June, dragged down by a tariff war with Washington and weak consumer spending. Data on Monday showed the world’s second-largest economy expanded by 6.2% over a year earlier, down from the previous quarter’s 6.4%. Chinese leaders face increasing pressure to shore up growth and avert politically dangerous job losses as they fight a trade battle with President Donald Trump over Beijing’s technology ambitions. Trump’s tariff hikes on Chinese goods have battered exporters, but the economy also faces pressure from weaker consumer spending. Data showed growth in retail sales slowed to 8.4% in the first half of 2019, down 0.1 percentage points from the first quarter. Growth in factory output also decelerated.