Geneva, Dec 6 (AFP) The world's trading nations reined in anti-dumping action in the first half of the year with a 29 percent drop in probes into cheap imports, World Trade Organization data showed today.

China continued to be the main country targeted by such investigations although the pace declined, while India was the top user of the anti-dumping system, according to the WTO data for the period between January and June 30, 2010.

The global trade body gave no reasons for the trend as the glopbal economy was recovering, although heightened anti-dumping action is often taken as a sign of greater protectionist pressures.

Nineteen WTO members launched 69 investigations into suspected dumping -- selling exported goods at below domestic production price -- compared to 97 during the same period a year earlier. Anti-dumping action slows globally as investigations decline, with China the main target and India the top user. Anti-dumping action decreased in the first half of the year, with fewer new probes into suspected dumping compared with the prior year. China remained the principal target although its pace declined, while India was the leading user of anti-dumping measures by initiating the most cases. Nineteen members launched a reduced total of investigations, and the report notes that increased anti-dumping activity is often seen as a sign of protectionist pressure but does not assign a specific reason for the decline.