China - Economic Data & News 22 (Jul 24 - Dec 26)

[winston]

20+ CN Cities Appear to Have Halted or Adjusted Car Trade-in Subsidies

With the fourth batch of RMB 69 billion national subsidy funds depleting, more and more regions in China are either suspending or adjusting car trade-in subsidy campaigns, according to a report by yicai.com.

As of now, incomplete statistics show that over 20 Chinese cities have already halted or tweaked applications for car trade-in subsidies.

For example, Hubei Province adjusted the issuance method of car trade-in qualification vouchers in mid-November.

The vouchers are now distributed in four batches per day, with the final batch being issued on Friday (5th). Each batch ends once the vouchers are fully claimed.

Source: AAStocks Financial News

http://www.aastocks.com/en/stocks/news/ ... -news/AAFN

[winston]

China’s rich step up offshore bets as gold and insurance gain favour

China’s wealthy are shifting more of their portfolios offshore, as they seek to hedge slowing growth, policy risks and low yields at home

As economic headwinds persist, China’s wealthy are becoming more cautious, using gold and insurance to preserve capital.

by Themis Qi and Peggy Ye

More than half of China’s high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) plan to increase the share of offshore investments in their portfolios over the next year as they seek diversification amid macroeconomic uncertainty,

Source: SCMP

https://www.scmp.com/business/china-bus ... pe=section

[winston]

China’s risky shadow banks back in spotlight after Beijing’s debt crackdown

Entities owned by local governments are borrowing billions from trust companies and leasing firms at rates of 8 per cent or higher, sources say

China’s crackdown on borrowing by local governments is forcing state-run entities in even some of the wealthiest provinces, to tap costly credit from non-bank lenders, a stopgap that is increasing risk in an opaque corner of the financial system.

The borrowing marks a return of China’s shadow-banking market, which is more loosely regulated than traditional lenders and had been reined in over the past few years in a bid to reduce risk.

Since September, industrial investment arms and financing platforms owned by local governments in provinces including Shandong, had borrowed billions of dollars in total from trust companies and leasing firms, according to people familiar with the matter.

The rates charged were 8 per cent or higher – more than triple the cost of borrowing in the bond market, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing private information.

Financial institutions that make up China’s shadow banking system are willing to extend the funding partly because they’re short of assets in a low-rate environment.

Source: SCMP

https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-f ... pe=section

[behappyalways]

"Things Are About To Snap": China's Trade Surplus Tops $1 Trillion For The First Time, Sparking Global Howls Of Outrage
https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/thi ... ing-global

[behappyalways]

China shadow bank’s missed payments show growing property stress
https://www.theedgesingapore.com/news/c ... rty-stress

[behappyalways]

From world factory to supply chain hub, Chinese manufacturing has upgraded and now dominates the global market.

從世界工廠到供應鏈中樞 中國製造升級後霸榜全球【短篇】#TVBS文茜的世界周報 20251214

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iR7rsh3OJ_Y

[behappyalways]

Following Sasa, Mannings also withdrew from China, marking the decline of brick-and-mortar retail in mainland China.

「莎莎」後「萬寧」也撤出中國 陸實體零售步夕陽｜方念華｜FOCUS全球新聞20251218 ‪@tvbsfocus

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ADFbRlYcnFM

[behappyalways]

China's economic downturn triggers "three no's"—rural protests surge by 70%; migrant workers…

中國經濟下行引發「三不」－農村抗議活動激增70%；移工…

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=f0s9i8ouD ... 4Bo7VqN5tD

[winston]

China economy grew below 3 pc in 2025, half of official target, think tank estimates

Driven by a collapse in fixed-asset investment in the US$19 trillion (HK$147.8 trillion) economy over the second half of the year.

Despite touting robust exports in the face of a tariff war with the US and weak domestic demand, there will be around half a trillion dollars in lost demand unaccounted for.

In 2026, the Chinese economy is on course to grow between just 1 percent and 2.5 percent in 2026, Rhodium Group estimated, far below the IMF’s forecast for the year of 4.5 percent.

“History offers no examples of economies that have recorded 5 percent real GDP growth while facing years of persistent deflation, as China has for 10 consecutive quarters. We doubt China is the first”.

Fixed-asset investment in everything from roads and rail to housing and factories, started 2025 strong, rising 4.2 percent year-on-year in the first quarter, but had slipped into negative territory by June and had plunged as much as 12.2 percent by October.

“The miscalculation for China’s economy has been persistent for too long,” the think tank said, “and always in the same direction of overstatement.”

Source: Reuters

https://www.thestandard.com.hk/wealth-a ... le/319941/

[behappyalways]

IKEA's massive retreat from China! Seven stores closed at once, including in Shanghai and Guangzhou.

IKEA中國大撤退! 一次關7店 上海.廣州全上榜｜TVBS新聞

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7CTlpjq0I50