China Gross Output Value of Construction up 24.4%

China's gross output value of construction hit 2,266.5 billion yuan (331.2 billion U.S. dollars) in the first half, up 24.4 percent from the first half last year, according to figures from the China National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Thursday.

From January to June, construction sites covered about 3.70 billion square meters, up 20.1 pct from the same period last year.

The half-year income of Chinese construction companies totaled 2.07 trillion yuan (303.2 billion U.S. dollars), up 25.9 percent. Total profit reached 49 billion yuan (7.16 billion U.S. dollars), up 42.2 percent.

The gross output value includes output, the value of construction projects, equipment installation projects, repair of buildings and structures, and manufactured non-standard equipment.