Last month, Pernod also said sales in China during Lunar New Year, which began in mid-February this year, were flat, with whiskey sales falling in particular.
All in all, China's Lunar New Year is shaping up to be a Leaner New Year.
The Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to faxed requests for comment on Tuesday, a public holiday in China marking the Lunar New Year.
Fireworks are traditionally set off in China to celebrate the Lunar New Year, which is just over a week away.
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Gold prices are also feeling some selling pressure this week from the fact China is celebrating the lunar new year this week, which has curtailed physical demand for the precious yellow metal coming out of Asia.
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Dealers attribute it to the advent of Lunar New Year in China and wedding season in India.
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In addition, Lunar New Year holidays in China are expected to make for relatively thin and cautious trading over the next few days.
China's biggest holiday, the Lunar New Year, began Monday.
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China is on holiday all week for the Lunar New Year.
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The move by some luxury hotel chains in greater China to ban shark fin soup ahead of the Lunar New Year was symbolic of a new day and part of a worldwide push.
Companies have altered ordering practices but are still closely watching China as workers return this week from the long Lunar New Year holiday, worried that fewer workers are going back to their factory jobs.
However, some analysts tempered the enthusiasm, saying trade data for China is unpredictable at the beginning of the year because of the Lunar New Year holiday when many factories shut down.
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The Lunar New Year is celebrated in many countries, most notably in China, and holiday times usually mean less physical demand.
The company is one of many from the U.S. and other countries that are closely watching China as factory workers slowly return this week from the country's long Lunar New Year holiday.
China Daily says many businesses in the south and east coast are having difficulties recruiting enough migrant workers after the lunar new year holidays last week.
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