Chinese market boom fails to lift Asian stocks

TOKYO: Asian markets fluctuated on Friday as record Chinese economic growth figures struggled to add fuel to a Wall Street surge that came on the back of blockbuster reports on US consumer spending and jobless claims.

Officials in Beijing said the world’s second-biggest economy expanded a mind-blowing 18.3 percent in the first quarter, while the data was accompanied by data showing a sharper-than-expected increase in retail sales that gave hope the country’s vast army of consumers are again dipping into their pockets.