The global economic crisis has taken a toll on China's national Social Security Fund (SSF), which incurred its first loss in eight years in 2008.

The loss resulted in a negative 6 percent return for SSF on its equity investments, in sharp contrast to its average 10.7 percent annual return from 2003 to 2007.

The loss was mainly caused by the stock market downturn, an SSF official who declined to be named told China Daily yesterday.