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Fiscally-fuelled improvement unlikely to last long Stronger-than-expected official GDP figures indicate that China’s economy gained momentum in Q1, thanks to policy support. But monthly activity data suggest that this policy-driven recovery is shaky. …
16th April 2024
This page has been updated with additional analysis since first publication Credit growth plummets in a further sign of weak demand Bank loan and broad credit growth in China both decelerated sharply in March. (See Chart 1.)While we expect the PBOC to cut …
12th April 2024
This page has been updated with additional analysis since first publication . Export volumes remain strong Despite a larger-than-expected y/y fall in export values, export volumes climbed to record highs. Nonetheless, we still think export volumes will …
This page has been updated with additional analysis since first publication . Overinvestment will keep inflation below pre-pandemic average CPI inflation rose less than expected in March but is still trending upwards. We think an easing of food price …
11th April 2024
This page has been updated with additional analysis since first publication . A decent start to 2024 despite a still fragile consumer China’s economy continued to show some improvement at the start of the year thanks to strength in exports and fiscal …
18th March 2024
This page has been updated with additional analysis since first publication . Rebound in credit growth blown off course Bank loan growth in China decelerated to its slowest pace on record in February, while broad credit growth reversed most of its recent …
15th March 2024
Export volumes hit record high China’s export values rose y/y at the fastest rate since May, with export volumes reaching a record high. We doubt the sustainability of this strength, however, since exporters now have more limited scope to reduce prices to …
7th March 2024
This report was first published on Friday 1 st March covering the official PMIs and Caixin manufacturing PMI. We added commentary on the Caixin services and composite PMIs on Tuesday 5 th March. An encouraging improvement in services activity The PMIs are …
1st March 2024
This page has been updated with additional analysis since first publication . PBOC eschews broad-based cuts, steps up property support Today’s 25bp cut to the 5-year LPR is clearly aimed at supporting the housing market. On its own it will not revive new …
20th February 2024
Weakness underlying headline strength There was the usual seasonal surge in net credit in China in January that took new bank lending to a record high. The underlying story is less positive, with loan demand little changed and broader credit growth slower …
9th February 2024
This page has been updated with additional analysis since first publication . Inflation set to rebound gradually but remain low CPI fell deeper into deflationary territory last month. But this was largely due to the usual volatility in food and tourism …
8th February 2024
This page has been updated with additional analysis and charts since first publication. City’s recovery continues to disappoint Hong Kong’s growth picked up only marginally in Q4, underperforming most expectations. And although we foresee some further …
31st January 2024
This report was first published on Wednesday 31st January covering the official PMIs. We added commentary on the Caixin manufacturing PMI on Thursday 1st February and the Caixin services and composite PMIs on Monday 5th February. Surveys starting to …
This page has been updated with additional analysis and charts since first publication . Recovery still shaky China’s economy lost momentum in Q4 according to the official GDP figures. But we suspect that’s because they failed to acknowledge the full …
17th January 2024
This page has been updated with additional analysis since first publication . The PBOC fails to deliver Despite a cut being widely expected, the MLF was again kept unchanged today – for a fifth straight month. The main factor holding the PBOC back was …
15th January 2024
This page has been updated with additional analysis since first publication . Broad credit growth hits 7-month high, but bank lending still weak The rebound in broad credit growth remained on track thanks to a step up in government borrowing. But growth …
12th January 2024
This page has been updated with additional analysis since first publication . Export volumes still due for a pullback China’s export values rose y/y at the fastest rate since April. And while export volumes only ticked up slightly, they remain near a …
This page has been updated with additional analysis and charts since first publication. Deflation set to ease gradually Smaller y/y declines in food and energy prices meant that both CPI and PPI deflation eased last month, a trend that we think will …
This page has been updated with additional analysis and charts since first publication. Recovery still underway The main bright spot was a healthy pick-up in industrial output thanks to the strength in exports. Retail sales and fixed investment remained …
15th December 2023
This page has been updated with additional analysis since first publication . A smaller-than-expected acceleration Broad credit growth continued to rise in November thanks to a pick-up in government bond issuance, but it still came in below expectations. …
13th December 2023
This page has been updated with additional analysis since first publication . Decline in services inflation a concern CPI fell deeper into deflationary territory last month. The main culprit continues to be food and energy prices – the rate of core …
11th December 2023
This page has been updated with additional analysis since first publication . Export volumes reach new high China’s export values rose year-on-year for the first time since May while the level of export volumes hit a fresh high, supported by exporters …
7th December 2023
This page has been updated with additional analysis and charts since first publication. Note: Join our Drop-In briefing on Thursday 16th November on the Xi-Biden meeting, the fracturing of the global economy, and what this means for Saudi Arabian …
15th November 2023
This page has been updated with additional charts and analysis since the first publication. Deflationary returns but is unlikely to persist CPI slipped back into deflationary territory last month. This was mostly due to a drop in food inflation. But core …
9th November 2023
This page has been updated with additional analysis since first publication . Import volumes surpass 2021 peak The year-on-year contraction in export values deepened last month. But this was mainly due to lower export prices. Export volumes were little …
7th November 2023
This page has been updated with additional analysis and charts since first publication. Economy narrowly avoids another contraction Hong Kong’s economy largely treaded water in Q3, underperforming most expectations. A jump in investment and a pick-up in …
31st October 2023
This page has been updated with additional analysis and charts since first publication . According to official GDP, growth more than doubled in q/q terms between Q2 and Q3, reaching a healthy 5.3% annualised rate. Our China Activity Proxy suggests that …
18th October 2023
Credit growth has stabilised After slowing sharply in Q2, broad credit growth edged up in August and held steady last month. Although a sharp rebound seems unlikely, we do think credit growth could pick up somewhat over the coming quarters, especially if …
13th October 2023
This page has been updated with additional analysis since first publication . Export volumes hit fresh high but prices falling China’s export values continued to contract year-on-year in September. But to the extent that foreign demand has cooled …
This page has been updated with additional analysis since first publication . Deflation fears to dissipate further PPI deflation continued to ease in September. CPI inflation edged down, but core inflation remained at a six-month high, with services …
This page has been updated with additional analysis and charts since first publication. Economy regains momentum as consumers step up Although a slight uptick in activity was expected, the August data turned out to be even better than anticipated. Fiscal …
15th September 2023
A gesture of support from the PBOC The People’s Bank has just announced a cut to bank reserve requirements. With private sector credit demand still weak, this is a gesture rather than a meaningful support measure. Substantial rate cuts or a sea change in …
14th September 2023
This page has been updated with additional analysis since first publication . Turning a corner thanks to policy support China’s bank loan growth stabilised in August after declining for three consecutive months, and broad credit growth edged up from …
11th September 2023
This page has been updated with additional analysis since first publication . Export volumes are likely to soften before long China’s export values continued to contract in August, but this mostly reflects lower prices. Export volumes continued to hold …
7th September 2023
This page has been updated with additional analysis and charts since first publication. Growth has slowed to a crawl All the main activity indicators undershot consensus expectations in July, with most either stagnant or barely expanding in m/m terms. And …
15th August 2023
This page has been updated with additional analysis since first publication. Downturn deepens as borrowers hold back China’s bank loan growth fell to its lowest in seven months in July, while broad credit growth dropped to a record low. We expect further …
11th August 2023
This page has been updated with additional analysis since first publication . Services inflation hits 17-month high CPI joined PPI in deflationary territory last month. But this was due to a sharp drop in food inflation caused by base effects. More …
9th August 2023
This page has been updated with additional analysis since first publication . Exports have further to fall Chinese exports contracted in July by the most since the start of the pandemic. But the recent declines mostly reflect lower prices rather than …
8th August 2023
This page has been updated with additional analysis and charts since first publication. Economic recovery takes a step backwards Hong Kong’s GDP contracted in q/q terms in Q2, underperforming most expectations. A sharp fall in government spending and …
31st July 2023
More support signalled but follow-through remains in question The readout of the Politburo’s quarterly meeting on economic affairs has just been published by state media. It struck a dovish tone but fell short of delivering any major new announcements. …
24th July 2023
This page has been updated with additional analysis and charts since first publication. Recovery shifts down a gear GDP slowed more than expected in Q2 due to a fizzling out of the reopening boost. Continued weakness in the property sector, possible …
17th July 2023
This page has been updated with additional analysis since first publication . Exports to shrink further before bottoming out Chinese exports contracted year-on-year in June by the most since March 2020, with export volumes falling to a 6-month low. And …
13th July 2023
This page has been updated with additional analysis since first publication . Stronger than expected but still relatively weak Although stronger than most had expected, bank loan growth still fell to its lowest in five months in June, while broad credit …
11th July 2023
This page has been updated with additional analysis since first publication . Price pressures set to remain subdued this year Producer price deflation deepened further last month to its lowest in more than seven years, and consumer price inflation dropped …
10th July 2023
This page has been updated with additional analysis and charts since first publication. We discussed the state of China’s post-zero-COVID recovery, what we're expecting in response from policymakers, and the implications for markets, in an online briefing …
15th June 2023
This page has been updated with additional analysis and charts since first publication. A worrying deceleration Broad credit growth slowed sharply in May and has now reversed almost all its reopening recovery. This poses a downside risk to growth and …
13th June 2023
This report was first published in response to the PBOC’s cut to its 7-day reverse repo rate. It has since been updated to reflect subsequent developments. 13th June: Additional analysis and charts added. 15th June: Coverage of MLF cut added. 20th June: …
This page has been updated with additional analysis and charts since first publication. Inflation remains low as initial reopening effects begin to fade Producer price deflation deepened further last month to a 87-month low. Consumer price inflation …
9th June 2023
This page has been updated with additional analysis and charts since first publication. Exports stumbled but imports jumped China’s exports contracted year-on-year in May for the first time in three months, with export volumes falling below their …
7th June 2023
This page has been updated with additional analysis and charts since the initial publication. A mixed start to Q2 Growth on most indicators accelerated in y/y terms in April. But this was due to a weak base for comparison from a year ago when Shanghai and …
16th May 2023
