China: China's building materials sector remained sluggish as the property market showed no signs of warming, according to the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). Cement output rose by 3.6% year-on-year to 1.14Bnt in the first half of 2014, slowing by 6.1% points from the expansion seen during the same period of 2013. The data pointed to the continuing weakness in the property market. The average home price in 70 Chinese cities fell by 0.47% during June 2014, the second consecutive monthly drop after a 0.15% fall in May 2014.