Chinese toy export growth slows

The growth of China's toy exports slowed dramatically in the first quarter, hurt by higher production costs, a stronger currency and safety concerns, a state news agency said Thursday. Toy exports from January through March grew by 3 percent, down from a 23.6 percent growth rate in the same period last year, the official Xinhua News Agency said. Toy exports for the quarter totaled $1.5 billion, the agency said, citing China's customs agency.