AKIPRESS.COM - Asian shares stuttered after giving up small gains on Tuesday, as modest relief on data showing the Chinese economy grew slightly more than expected failed to assuage lingering concerns of weakening momentum in the world's second-biggest economy, reports Reuters.

China's gross national product expanded 7.3 percent between July and September from a year earlier, slightly above expectations but slower than the 7.5 percent clocked in the second quarter.

It was also the weakest growth rate in nearly six years, putting at risk Bejing's official annual growth target for the first time in 15 years and adding to worries that China is becoming a drag on the global economy.

"The data was better than I expected, more optimistic than we thought. But we definitely cannot achieve the 7.5 percent growth target this year," said Lin Caiyi, chief economist at Guotai Junan Securities in Shanghai.

Other data showed factory output rose 8.0 percent in September from a year earlier, beating expectations for a 7.5 percent increase and up from August's six-year low of 6.9 percent.

However, fixed asset investment and retail sales figures were weaker than expected, suggesting that Beijing still has reason to announce a fresh round of economic support measures though analysts don't see aggressive stimulus steps.