Activity on the mainland is likely to have rebounded last month, with industrial production growth expected to tick up to 6.6 per cent year on year from 6 per cent, mostly thanks to a weaker base. Fixed-asset investment has probably grown 13 per cent, accelerating from 10.3 per cent in July. This would lift the year-to-date gain to 11.4 per cent from 11.2 per cent a year earlier. "Again, positive base effects probably explain part of the acceleration," Societe Generale says in a recent report to clients. The French bank also expects infrastructure investment growth to have received solid support from bank credit and government measures while housing investment should start to see a more pronounced recovery after four months of sales rebound. Nominal retail sales may have improved as well, given a higher inflation rate.