Revenue Performance - In January-February 2025, general public budget revenue decreased by 1.6% year-on-year, slightly below the annual revenue budget target by 0.1%[4] - Tax revenue fell by 3.9% year-on-year, a decrease of 6.6 percentage points compared to the previous month[4] - Non-tax revenue increased by 11% year-on-year, but this was a decline of 83 percentage points from the previous month[4] Expenditure Trends - General public budget expenditure grew by 3.4% year-on-year, maintaining a rapid expenditure pace[4] - Social welfare and employment expenditures rose by 5.4% year-on-year, driven by increased spending in social security and health sectors[4] - Infrastructure spending decreased by 5.6% year-on-year, primarily due to declines in urban community and agricultural water affairs expenditures[4] Fund and Policy Outlook - Government fund revenue fell by 10.7% year-on-year, mainly due to a decline in land transfer income[4] - Government fund expenditure increased by 1.2% year-on-year, with central government fund expenditure surging by 74.2%, significantly outpacing local government growth of 0.6%[4] - The fiscal policy is expected to focus on increasing the deficit ratio, enhancing expenditure intensity, and accelerating spending progress throughout the year[4]

Revenue Performance - In January-February 2025, general public budget revenue decreased by 1.6% year-on-year, slightly below the annual revenue budget target by 0.1%[5] - Tax revenue fell by 3.9% year-on-year, a decrease of 6.6 percentage points compared to the previous month[5] - Non-tax revenue increased by 11% year-on-year, but this was a significant drop of 83 percentage points from the previous month[5] Expenditure Trends - General public budget expenditure grew by 3.4% year-on-year, maintaining a rapid expenditure pace[5] - Social welfare and employment expenditures rose by 5.4%, reflecting a focus on social security and health spending[5] - Government fund expenditure increased by 1.2% year-on-year, with central government fund expenditure soaring by 74.2%, contrasting with a mere 0.6% increase at the local level[5] Future Outlook - The fiscal policy is expected to focus on increasing the deficit ratio and expenditure intensity, with plans for special bond issuance to accelerate spending[5] - There is an emphasis on supporting domestic demand and consumption, particularly in social security and employment sectors[5] - The central government has reserved sufficient tools and policy space to potentially introduce incremental policies throughout the year based on changing internal and external conditions[5]

Core Viewpoint - The fiscal data for January-February 2025 shows unusual trends, with public fiscal revenue experiencing a negative year-on-year growth while personal income tax saw a significant increase, reaching its highest growth rate in nearly 10 months. This divergence raises questions about the underlying factors driving these changes [1][3]. Group 1: Personal Income Tax Growth - The high growth rate of personal income tax at 26.7% year-on-year is attributed to the timing of the Spring Festival, which affected the collection of year-end bonuses. In years where the Spring Festival falls in January, the peak for personal income tax collection occurs in February, while in years where it falls in February, the peak occurs in March. This year's earlier Spring Festival compared to last year has amplified the growth in personal income tax for January-February [1][3]. Group 2: Tax Revenue Dynamics - Positive contributors to tax revenue include the securities transaction stamp duty and value-added tax, both benefiting from supportive policies. The securities transaction stamp duty has shown double-digit growth for five consecutive months due to increased trading enthusiasm in the stock market since the "924" policy [3][7]. - Negative contributors include corporate income tax, which saw a year-on-year decline of 10.4%, indicating ongoing challenges for businesses. Additionally, consumption-related taxes such as consumption tax and vehicle purchase tax are weaker than last year, and taxes related to imports are also experiencing negative growth. The real estate sector remains under pressure, with real estate-related taxes declining by 11.4% year-on-year and local land transfer revenue decreasing by 15.7% [7][10]. Group 3: Fiscal Expenditure Trends - Fiscal expenditure is shifting focus from infrastructure to technology and social welfare. Compared to last year, infrastructure-related fiscal spending has significantly decreased, with a year-on-year decline of 6.2% in January-February 2025, contrasting with a growth of 17.9% in the same period of 2024 [10][13]. - In contrast, expenditures related to technology, education, social security, and employment continue to show high growth rates of 10.5%, 7.7%, and 5.5% respectively, indicating a sustained commitment to these areas [13].

Revenue Analysis - In January-February 2025, the national general public budget revenue was 43,856 billion yuan, a year-on-year decrease of 1.6%[4] - Tax revenue amounted to 36,349 billion yuan, down 3.9% year-on-year, while non-tax revenue increased by 11% to 7,507 billion yuan[4] Personal Income Tax Insights - The personal income tax saw a significant year-on-year increase of 26.7%, the highest growth rate in nearly 10 months, largely influenced by the timing of the Spring Festival[4] - The early Spring Festival this year compared to last year resulted in a front-loaded peak in personal income tax collection[4] Tax Revenue Contributors - The securities transaction stamp duty and value-added tax provided strong support to fiscal revenue, benefiting from policy initiatives and increased market activity[5] - Corporate income tax experienced a negative growth of -10.4%, indicating ongoing challenges for businesses[5] Expenditure Trends - Infrastructure-related fiscal spending decreased significantly, with a year-on-year decline of -6.2% in January-February 2025, compared to a growth of 17.9% in the same period of 2024[6] - Spending on technology, education, social security, and employment remained robust, with growth rates of 10.5%, 7.7%, and 5.5% respectively[6] Risks and Considerations - Potential risks include policies falling short of expectations, unexpected changes in the domestic economic landscape, and fluctuations in exports[6]

Group 1: Fiscal Revenue and Taxation - In January-February 2025, national general public budget revenue was CNY 4.4 trillion, a year-on-year decrease of 1.6%[6] - Tax revenue decreased by 3.9%, while non-tax revenue increased by 11%[7] - Personal income tax grew by 26.7%, contributing 2 percentage points to fiscal revenue, primarily due to a low base in 2024[7] - Corporate income tax fell by 10.4%, dragging down fiscal revenue by 2.4 percentage points, indicating ongoing challenges in corporate profitability recovery[7] Group 2: Fiscal Expenditure and Investment - National general public budget expenditure reached CNY 4.5 trillion, a year-on-year increase of 3.4%[6] - Social security, education, and health spending accounted for approximately 43.1% of total expenditure, up 0.8 percentage points from the previous year[7] - Infrastructure-related spending decreased by 5.6% year-on-year, contributing to a 1.2 percentage point drag on overall fiscal expenditure[7] Group 3: Land Sales and Government Funds - Government fund revenue was CNY 0.6 trillion, down 10.7% year-on-year, with land transfer revenue declining by 15.7%[7] - The pace of government fund expenditure was slower than in previous years, with a cumulative completion rate of 10.2%[7] Group 4: Fiscal Challenges and Future Outlook - The broad fiscal revenue and expenditure growth rates were -2.9% and 2.9%, respectively, falling short of the annual budget targets of 0.2% and 9.3%[7] - The government plans to issue CNY 5.66 trillion in deficits for 2025, with a broad deficit rate projected at approximately 8.4%[7] - Future fiscal policies may need to be adjusted to address ongoing revenue pressures and support economic stability[7]

Core Viewpoint - The liquidity gap in March is expected to narrow significantly compared to February, indicating a potential marginal improvement in the funding environment, contingent on the central bank's stance and policy direction during the Two Sessions [1][4]. Group 1: March Liquidity Gap Observations - The overall net financing from government bonds in March is projected to be approximately 1,100 billion [2]. - The expected fiscal revenue and expenditure gap for March is around -1,200 billion [2]. - Excluding MLF and reverse repos, the liquidity gap is anticipated to decrease significantly from February, suggesting a potential marginal improvement in the funding situation [2][4]. Group 2: Bank Liability Pressure - There is considerable pressure on banks' liabilities, particularly due to the outflow of long-term funds, which cannot be fully resolved through market behavior alone and requires regulatory support [3]. - The cautious approach of the central bank in monetary policy may lead to a release of easing signals if the Two Sessions effectively boost market confidence and alleviate the rapid decline in long-term bond rates [3]. - Conversely, if the economic recovery does not show significant pressure, the central bank's focus may remain on stabilizing the exchange rate and preventing risks [3]. Group 3: Future Outlook - The liquidity situation in March will largely depend on the central bank's attitude, especially considering that fiscal expenditures typically occur at the end of the month and the ongoing pressure on bank liabilities [4]. - Continuous observation and tracking of the policy direction from the Two Sessions and the central bank's monetary policy usage in March are essential [4].