Weak demand hits China factory, services firms in March, more easing seen

BEIJING/SHANGHAI: Surveys of China's factory and services sectors showed stubborn weakness in the world's second-biggest economy in March, adding to bets that Beijing will have to roll out more policy support to avert a sharper slowdown.

Three separate surveys showed Chinese companies shed jobs last month as they struggled with soft demand and deflationary pressures, suggesting that economic growth may have slipped below 7 percent in the first quarter of 2015, which would be the weakest in six years.