(Yicai Global) July 15 -- China's fixed assets investment rose by a higher-than-expected 5.8 percent annually in the first half to CNY29.9 trillion (USD4.4 trillion), according to data published today by the National Bureau of Statistics.

The figure was 5.6 percent for the first five months, down from 6 percent from the year-ago period, the NBS said.

Results from an Yicai Global survey of 22 chief economists at major Chinese financial institutions had predicted, on average, that fixed assets investment would increase 5.6 percent over the first half.