China Jan-Feb fixed investment up 24.3 pct yr/yr

China's urban fixed-asset investment rose 24.3 percent in January and February from a year earlier, compared with a 25.8 percent increase in 2007, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Friday.

The median forecast of economists polled by Reuters was for a rise of 24.0 percent.

The bureau did not issue separate year-to-date figures for January and February alone because the timing of investment decisions is distorted by the Lunar New Year, which falls at different times each year.

Urban investment covers things such as roads, power plants and apartment buildings. Figures on overall fixed-asset investment are released quarterly.

(Percent change on a year earlier, year to date):

Feb/Jan Dec Nov Oct Sep Aug Jul Jun May

24.3 25.8 26.8 26.9 26.4 26.7 26.6 26.7 25.9

~Not available.