九部门发文扩大服务消费，稳增长的财政政策仍可加码

Economic Growth and Demand - China's economic growth remains strong, but domestic demand is slightly below expectations, with key production and demand indicators showing stable growth in the first eight months of the year [2] - In August, there was a marginal decline in economic performance, with year-on-year growth rates for industrial value added, service production index, retail sales, fixed asset investment, and export amounts all weakening [2] - The internal driving force for economic growth has not yet solidified, with ongoing transitions between old and new growth drivers, particularly due to household deleveraging impacting economic circulation [2] Service Consumption Policies - The Ministry of Commerce and nine other departments issued policies on September 16 to expand service consumption, enhancing consumer credit support and promoting collaboration between financial institutions and businesses [3][4] - Service consumption is identified as a crucial support for improving livelihoods and upgrading consumption, with a projected 6.2% year-on-year growth in service retail sales for 2024, outpacing goods retail sales by 3 percentage points [5] - The government aims to attract more foreign consumers and reduce restrictions in high-end medical and leisure sectors to increase quality service supply [6] External Trade and Export Dynamics - In August, China's total goods imports and exports grew by 3.5% year-on-year, with both exports and imports achieving three consecutive months of growth [7] - The export of electromechanical products saw a significant increase, with a 9.2% year-on-year growth in the first eight months [7] - Despite a decline in export growth rate, the resilience of exports is expected to exceed expectations due to adjustments in export markets, particularly with ASEAN and EU countries compensating for reduced exports to the US [7][8] Economic Outlook and Policy Implications - The economic growth is primarily supported by policy measures and structural highlights, but challenges remain due to weak internal and external demand, low corporate profit expectations, and funding constraints [8] - The fourth quarter is seen as a critical period for economic stabilization, with the effectiveness of policy financial tools, local government projects, and consumption stimulus policies being pivotal for maintaining growth [8]