Aug 15 Reuters China suspended publication of its youth jobless data on Tuesday, saying it needed to review the methodology behind the closely watched benchmark, which has hit record highs in one of many warning signs for the world39;s secondlargest economy.

The decision announced shortly after the release of weakerthanexpected factory and retail sales data sparked rare backlash on social media amid growing frustration about employment prospects in the country.

It also marks the latest move by Chinese authorities to restrict access to key data and information, a trend that is unnerving overseas investors.

Fu Linghui, a spokesman for the National Bureau of Statistics NBS, said the release of data would be suspended while authorities look to optimise collection methods.

In recent years, the number of university students has continued to expand, Fu said. The main responsibility of current students is studying. Society has different views on whether students looking for jobs before graduation should be included in labour force surveys and statistics.

This issue, as well as the definition of the age range currently set at 1624, needs further research, Fu said.

In recent months, China has restricted foreign users39; access to some corporate registries and academic journals, and cracked down on due diligence firms operating in the country, a vital source of information on China for overseas businesses.

The declining availability of macro data may further weaken global…