NEW YORK - As the first major country to have exited pandemic lockdowns, China's economic numbers will provide a guide as to what global data may look like, Bloomberg reported Sunday.

China's robust economic momentum looks likely to be carried into the second quarter as its factory-led recovery broadened to the consumer, Bloomberg said on its website.

Combined with this month's report showing a continued export boom, such evidence of a more widespread rebound taking hold would point to China continuing to be one of the main driving forces for global growth this year, the report said.

The country has cemented its role as the world's factory, and its swift recovery from the COVID-19 crisis last year not only boosted the domestic economy but also the profits of international companies.