China's recovery losing steam, adding to pressure on leaders to shore up growth, help business

BEIJING – Global economic malaise has knocked the stuffing out of Luo Yan's business making toy animals.

Lou, the owner of Tongle Toy Enterprises in Foshan near Hong Kong, says sales of Hello Kitty dolls and plush rabbits have fallen 30 percent over the past six months.

China's shaky recovery is losing steam, adding to pressure on its new leaders to shore up growth and launch new reforms to support entrepreneurs.

Economist Li Daokui, a former central bank adviser, says the leadership's goals are to prevent the economy from slowing too much and then launch new reforms.

President Xi Jinping and other leaders have yet to make clear how far they will go in curbing the dominance of state industry and making other changes reform advocates say are required.