China’s industrial enterprises saw their earnings drop for the first time in three months, adding to evidence that the world’s second-largest economy is losing steam.

中國工業企業3個月來首度出現利潤下降，增添這個全球第二大經濟體正失去動能的證據。

Industrial profits fell 5.5% last month from a year earlier, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics, after increases of more than 20% in each of the previous two months. Bloomberg Economics had expected a gain of 2.8% in October.

根據國家統計局公布的數據，工業利潤上月從1年前下滑5.5％，前兩個月則各上升逾20％。彭博經濟研究之前預測，10月年增2.8％。

For the first 10 months of the year, profits climbed 1.9%. Manufacturers and utilities continued to see fast growth while miners struggled to stem double-digit declines in earnings.

今年前10個月，利潤上升1.9％。製造商與公用事業持續呈現快速成長，採礦業者則努力遏阻利潤雙位數下滑。

The surprise deterioration shows how a cooling economy is hurting companies’ bottom line, a worry because that risks adding downward pressure on investment and employment.

這意外的惡化顯示降溫的經濟正傷害企業的淨利，由於該危機增添投資與就業的下行壓力，而成為令人憂心的事。

The earnings outlook remains gloomy since demand for commodities and manufactured goods could soften further.

因大宗商品與製成品需求可能進一步疲軟，獲利前景仍然黯淡。