Since the rapid growth accelerated speculative investment in real estate, making it difficult for middle-class citizens to buy housing, the authorities implemented a series of measures, including window guidance, to restrain the increase in real estate transactions. Subsequently, real estate investment slowed down and production and fixed investment in sectors related to construction decelerated. Still, the rate of economic growth remains high.
With respect to those neighboring Asian nations whose economies have been spurred by exports to China, although the rate of expansion is showing signs of deceleration, growth remains high with domestic demand still robust. With regard to economic activity in the euro area, production has expanded due to increasing exports to emerging economies, although the growth differs by country.