Profits from Chinese industrial firms in March have risen 11 percent to 561 billion yuan, or 86.5 billion US dollars.  

This is according to National Bureau of Statistics. For the first quarter, profits rose 7.4 percent from the same time last year. The reading extended a rise in the first two months of this year, showing that China's economy slow-down may be bottoming out. Analysts say the positive industrial profit reading comes on the back of a rising demand for industrial products, prices, and lowered costs. State-owned-firms, which are under a reform, saw profits plunge by nearly 6 percent in Q-1. The best performers are companies with stock-holding systems, join venture companies, and private firms.