Stock market today: Asian shares are mixed as China reports its growth slowed in April-June

Asian shares began the week trading mixed after China reported that its economy expanded at a lower-than-forecast 4.7% annual pace in the last quarter. Leaders of the ruling Communist Party were meeting in Beijing to set economic strategy for the coming decade. Tokyo was closed for a holiday. On Friday, U.S. stocks rose after some mixed signals on big banks’ profits and inflation did little to dent Wall Street’s belief that easier interest rates are on the way. The S&P 500 climbed 0.6% to close its fifth winning week in the last six. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.6%, and Nasdaq composite added 0.6%. They all finished just shy of records.