Barraud was Bloomberg’s top-ranked forecaster for the Chinese economy last year. He is also bearish on China’s growth for 2021 compared to the market’s median estimate of 8.4%. Barraud’s prediction came after monthly data showed China’s economy slowing sharply in August, with a slump in retail sales and property construction. The France-based economist said one of his favorite indicators of Chinese economic activity at the moment is the daily number of domestic flights. In the second quarter, GDP rose 7.9% from the same period in 2020, and 1.3% from the previous quarter.
