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Economic Indicators

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US-China trade war
US-ally trade wars
Hong Kong stock exchange
China stock market
World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos
Workers at a Sany new energy heavy truck factory in Changsha, Hunan province, on May 12. A new truck rolls off the production line every six minutes. Photo: Xinhua
China manufacturing

China’s economy ‘weaker than expected’ in April as Iran war headwinds bite

China’s retail sales growth fell to just 0.2 per cent in April, while industrial output and fixed-asset investment softened more than forecast.

China's population

China’s marriage numbers plunge to Covid-era low as population woes deepen

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China inflation

China’s producer, consumer inflation up in April as Iran war pressures persist

China trade

China defies Strait of Hormuz crisis with record monthly export value in April

Export value rose 14.1 per cent year on year, well above market forecasts.

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A worker loads sulphur at a storage yard on a wharf in China’s Jiangsu province in April. Photo: AFP
A worker loads sulphur at a storage yard on a wharf in China’s Jiangsu province in April. Photo: AFP
China exports

How China’s reported sulphuric acid export ban could have global buyers reeling

Foreign firms fear more halts following reports of a ban on the export of the chemical, crucial for fertiliser and battery production.

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China energy security

Turning point? Clean energy met 100% of world’s new power needs in 2025: report

World has ‘firmly entered’ the clean growth era, with renewables overtaking coal as a power source for the first time last year, report finds.

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China GDP

China beats expectations with 5% growth in first GDP release since Iran war

‘Stronger than expected’ growth figure indicates minimal impact from the conflict and a low likelihood for near-term stimulus, analysts said.

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A coil of copper is moved at an electrical materials factory in Dongyang, Zhejiang province, on Tuesday. Photo: AFP
A coil of copper is moved at an electrical materials factory in Dongyang, Zhejiang province, on Tuesday. Photo: AFP
China GDP

Despite Iran war, China set for ‘solid’ first-quarter GDP growth: analysts

Flexible growth target means little likelihood of imminent stimulus, but focus will switch to impact of disruptions in second quarter.

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China trade

China’s imports surge in March as exports soften amid Hormuz blockade

Export figures fall short of predictions, rising by 2.5 per cent, while imports grow by 27.8 per cent as conflict in Middle East causes global disruption.

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China inflation

China’s factory-gate prices rise for first time in 3 years as Iran war bites

The producer price index rose by 0.5 per cent in March, the first increase since 2022, as soaring global commodity prices affected Chinese firms.

A worker fills up a car at a petrol station in eastern China’s Shandong province. Photo: Getty Images
China jobs

China’s youth unemployment falls for sixth consecutive month in February

But young job-hunters say they are still struggling to find work in a testing post-holiday labour market amid rising global economic uncertainty.

Young people line up at career guidance booths during a job fair in Beijing on March 14 as China’s youth unemployment rate grows amid a testing post-holiday labour market. Photo: Reuters
Young people line up at career guidance booths during a job fair in Beijing on March 14 as China’s youth unemployment rate grows amid a testing post-holiday labour market. Photo: Reuters
China GDP

China’s economy starts 2026 strongly as retail sales, investment rise

Before the Iran energy crisis and latest round of China-US trade talks, retail spending grew 2.8 per cent while fixed-asset investment increased 1.8 per cent.

China exports

China’s exports surge 21.8% to start 2026 – biggest gain in 4 years

Despite an 11 per cent drop in US exports, China’s trade soared, buoyed by robust demand from Asean, the EU and other markets.

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China deflation

China’s inflation rises after holiday spending spree. Is 2% target reachable?

The consumer price index rose 0.8 per cent in the first two months of 2026, though analysts remain concerned about long-term deflation risks.

Shoppers stand near a Chinese New Year display in central Beijing. Photo: AP
Two Sessions 2026

China works to build slow, steady stock markets, rejecting norm of boom and bust

Beijing is emphasising gradual growth in its policies for capital markets, encouraging dividend payouts and drawing a contrast with the West.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
Two Sessions 2026

Hitting inflation target is key to China’s other economic goals, adviser says

Economist Zhang Bin says this year’s 2 per cent inflation target ‘corresponds to a state of relative equilibrium between supply and demand’.

Two Sessions 2026

China vows support for tech, trade rebalance, stock reforms - as it happened

The heads of China’s major economic institutions detailed plans for growth, trade and tech on the sidelines of the ‘two sessions’.

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Two Sessions 2026

China pledges ‘iron discipline’ to tackle debt as US borrowing surges

Global debt reached a record high in 2025 and rose in the world’s two largest economies.

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Premier Li Qiang delivering the government work report on Thursday, in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Photo: Reuters
Premier Li Qiang delivering the government work report on Thursday, in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Photo: Reuters
China travel

Why China’s travellers spent little, despite rise in Chinese New Year trips

The country logged a record 596 million domestic trips over the extended holiday, but consumers are still reluctant to loosen their purse strings.

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China’s crackdowns

Gold rush backlash: why China is clamping down on ‘get rich’ promises

Regulators intervene to contain fallout after volatility in global prices sparks market turmoil at home.

China consumption

China overhauls CPI basket, with never-before-seen unveiling of its composition

Beijing’s five-year recalibration aims to better reflect consumption, as policymakers shift weight away from food and housing.

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For China’s consumer price index (CPI) basket, Beijing has increased the weight of transport and communications to 14.3 per cent in its latest five-year adjustment. Photo: Getty Images
China consumption

China’s consumer price growth cools as inflation outlook remains unclear

Consumer price index rose for a fourth straight month in January, though the increase fell short of market expectations.

China’s top economic planner recently signalled new policies to boost spending over the next five years, while tackling price wars. Photo: Xinhua
China’s top economic planner recently signalled new policies to boost spending over the next five years, while tackling price wars. Photo: Xinhua
China manufacturing

China’s factory activity contracts in January on weak domestic demand

The official purchasing managers’ index drops to 49.3 in January, from 50.1 in December.

China GDP

Historic shift? Why Guangdong could lose its status as China’s No 1 economy

Guangdong has been China’s biggest regional economy for nearly four decades. But its crown is now slipping as the eastern Jiangsu catches up fast.

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China GDP

Tale of 2 megacities: how did Beijing, Shanghai GDPs surpass 5 trillion yuan?

China’s two largest cities are outpacing national growth rates, each generating gross domestic products equal to a small European country.

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People hang out at The Bund as the financial district of Pudong is seen in the background in Shanghai, China. The GDPs of Beijing and Shanghai have now exceeded 5 trillion yuan and both cities are comparable to European countries Sweden and Belgium. Photo: Reuters
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