沈建光：从国庆长假看消费前景

Core Insights - The travel enthusiasm during the recent National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival did not translate into strong consumer spending, indicating a weak consumption performance despite high travel activity [2][3][4]. Consumption Trends - During the holiday period from October 1 to 8, a total of 2.433 billion people traveled, with an average of 304 million daily, reflecting a 6.3% year-on-year increase compared to the same period in 2024 [3]. - However, retail and catering sales during the holiday only grew by 2.7% year-on-year, significantly lower than previous holidays [3]. - Daily sales in consumption-related industries increased by 4.5% year-on-year, which is also weaker than previous holiday periods [3]. Consumer Spending Analysis - Domestic tourism saw 888 million trips with total spending of 809 billion yuan, slightly higher than last year, but per capita spending decreased to 911 yuan, below last year's 916 yuan [4]. - The third quarter saw a slowdown in consumption growth, with retail sales growth dropping to 3.4% in August, the lowest since December 2024 [6][7]. Future Outlook - The fourth quarter is expected to face greater downward pressure on consumption due to elevated base effects from last year and the diminishing impact of trade-in policies [8]. - Key factors constraining consumption recovery include pressure on employment income, declining household wealth due to falling property prices, and weak consumer confidence [9]. Policy Recommendations - To stimulate consumption, it is suggested to expand the categories supported by trade-in policies, enhance support for service consumption, and encourage new types of consumption [10][11]. - Improving the social security system is also crucial, as current social spending is significantly lower than that of OECD countries, which limits consumption growth [12].