China will report third-quarter gross domestic product figures on Thursday, just as the Communist party convenes a meeting in which it will select a new slate of top leaders.
Global sentiment towards China has improved dramatically since last year, when concerns about capital flight and excessive debt led many foreign investors to conclude that policymakers were losing their ability to control risks.
Today, few observers believe that China is on the verge of a crisis, but investors will still be watching Thursday’s data for signs about whether China is addressing structural problems in its economy or simply kicking the can down the road.