Core Viewpoint - The "expected difference" in domestic demand improvement is greater than that of external demand, driven by a longer Spring Festival holiday, continuation of national subsidy policies, and recovery of consumer confidence [7][14][95]. Consumption - In January-February, the total retail sales of consumer goods increased by 2.8% year-on-year, exceeding the expected 2.4%, with a rebound of 1.9 percentage points from December 2025. This improvement is attributed to two main factors: the longer Spring Festival holiday boosting consumption in tobacco, alcohol, and food categories, and the new round of "old-for-new" funding stimulating significant growth in home appliances and furniture [6][14][93]. - Restaurant income saw a year-on-year growth rate increase of 2.6 percentage points to 4.8%, while service retail sales also rose by 0.1 percentage points to 5.6% compared to the end of last year [7][14][93]. Investment - Fixed asset investment showed a remarkable rebound, with a year-on-year increase of 1.8% in January-February, a rise of 16.9 percentage points from December 2025, marking an unprecedented recovery. This improvement is supported by a decrease in the proportion of special refinancing bonds and enhanced cash flow for enterprises due to previous debt-clearing policies [7][17][57]. - Infrastructure investment improved significantly, rising by 20.4 percentage points to 11.4%, while manufacturing investment increased by 12.7 percentage points to 3.1%. Service industry investment also saw a notable recovery, with a decrease in the year-on-year decline to -0.6% [17][62][68]. Real Estate - Although sales, new construction, and completion rates remain low, real estate investment showed a significant rebound, with a year-on-year decline narrowing to -11.1%, an improvement of 24.7 percentage points. The sales area of commercial housing also improved slightly, with a year-on-year decline of 13.5%, up by 2.1 percentage points from December 2025 [8][29][68]. - The credit financing growth rate for real estate companies increased, contributing to the rebound in real estate investment. However, new construction and completion rates still face uncertainties, with declines of 3.7 and 9.6 percentage points, respectively [29][94]. Production - The industrial added value increased by 6.3% year-on-year in January-February, reflecting a significant rebound influenced by the "Spring Festival misalignment" and demand improvement. This increase is estimated to be boosted by 0.7-0.8 percentage points due to the holiday effects [6][37][94]. - Labor-intensive industries, such as food manufacturing and beverages, showed substantial production increases, while sectors like electrical machinery and non-metallic minerals also improved, likely due to stronger exports and investment recovery [37][94].

Core Viewpoints - Domestic demand shows a significant "expectation difference" compared to external demand, driven by factors such as the extended Spring Festival holiday, government subsidy policies, and improved consumer confidence [2][10][88] Consumption - In January-February, the total retail sales of consumer goods increased by 2.8% year-on-year, exceeding expectations of 2.4%, with a notable rebound of 1.9 percentage points from the previous month [9][88] - The growth in consumption was primarily influenced by the long Spring Festival holiday, which boosted demand for essential goods like tobacco, alcohol, and food, with respective year-on-year growth rates of 19.1% and 10.2% [10][88] - The new round of "old-for-new" subsidy policies led to significant increases in the sales of home appliances and furniture, with year-on-year growth rates of 22.0% and 11.0% respectively [10][88] - Service consumption also improved, with restaurant revenue growth rising by 2.6 percentage points to 4.8% [10][88] Investment - Fixed asset investment showed a remarkable rebound, with a year-on-year increase of 1.8%, up 16.9 percentage points from the previous month, marking a historically rare recovery [2][13][91] - Infrastructure investment improved significantly, with a year-on-year increase of 10.8%, driven by a decrease in the proportion of special refinancing bonds [13][91] - Manufacturing investment also saw a notable rise, with a year-on-year increase of 3.1%, while real estate investment's year-on-year decline narrowed to -11.1% [13][91] Real Estate - Although sales, new construction, and completion rates remain low, real estate investment showed a significant rebound, with a year-on-year increase of 24.7 percentage points to -11.1% [3][24][63] - The sales area of commercial housing improved slightly, with a year-on-year decline of 13.5%, up 2.1 percentage points from the previous month [3][24][63] - However, new construction and completion rates still face uncertainties, with respective year-on-year declines of 23.1% and 27.9% [3][24][63] Production - Industrial value-added growth rebounded significantly, with a year-on-year increase of 6.3%, up 1.1 percentage points from December 2025, reflecting the combined effects of the Spring Festival timing and improved demand [5][32][90] - Labor-intensive industries, such as food manufacturing and beverages, showed substantial production increases, driven by improved consumer spending [32][90] - The production of intermediate and capital goods also improved, likely due to stronger exports and investment recovery [32][90] Summary - The easing of pressures from debt and real estate markets has led to a notable improvement in domestic demand, which may represent the largest expectation difference for the economy this year [4][90][41]

Core Viewpoints - The improvement in domestic demand is more significant than external demand, with a notable "expectation gap" observed in early 2026 [2][10][90] Consumption - The retail sales growth rate for January-February increased by 1.9 percentage points year-on-year to 2.8%, driven by a longer Spring Festival holiday and government subsidy policies [2][10][88] - Key categories such as tobacco, alcohol, and staple foods saw significant improvements, with year-on-year growth rates rising to 19.1% and 10.2% respectively [10][88] - Service consumption also showed positive recovery, with restaurant income growth rising to 4.8% [2][10][88] Investment - Fixed asset investment rebounded significantly, with a year-on-year increase of 1.8%, up 16.9 percentage points from the previous month, marking a historically rare rebound [2][10][13] - Infrastructure investment improved notably, with a year-on-year increase of 11.4%, while manufacturing investment rose to 3.1% [7][52][57] - The decline in real estate investment narrowed to -11.1%, reflecting improvements in corporate cash flow and a reduction in the issuance of special refinancing bonds [2][10][13] Real Estate - Despite low levels of sales, new construction, and completions, real estate investment showed a significant rebound, with sales area and amount improving slightly [3][24][89] - The credit financing growth rate for real estate companies increased, contributing to the rebound in investment [3][24][89] - However, new construction and completion growth rates remain low, indicating uncertainty in future investment recovery [3][24][89] Production - Industrial value-added growth for January-February rose to 6.3%, reflecting the combined effects of the Spring Festival timing and improved demand [2][10][32] - Labor-intensive industries, such as food manufacturing, saw significant production increases, indicating a recovery in consumer demand [32][90] - The production of intermediate and capital goods also improved, likely due to stronger exports and investment recovery [32][90] Summary - The easing of pressures from debt and real estate is expected to lead to significant improvements in domestic demand, which may represent the largest expectation gap for the economy in 2026 [4][90][41]

Core Viewpoint - The economic resilience in Q4 2025 is supported by improvements in service consumption, a moderation of the "crowding out effect" from debt reduction, and a recovery in new economic sectors [1][94]. GDP Analysis - Q4 2025 GDP growth is recorded at 4.5%, matching market expectations, with a seasonally adjusted quarter-on-quarter growth of 1.2%, up from 1.1% in Q3 [1][4]. - The secondary industry growth rate has significantly declined by 0.8 percentage points to 3.4%, reflecting weakened fixed investment and declining commodity consumption [1][94]. - Exports continue to grow robustly, which helps mitigate the downward pressure on the overall economy [1][94]. Consumption Insights - Retail sales in December show a decline, primarily due to a 0.5 percentage point drop in retail sales of goods below a certain threshold, now at 3.1% [2][13]. - Service retail sales have improved, with a cumulative year-on-year increase of 0.1 percentage points to 5.5%, indicating ongoing recovery in non-food service consumption [2][14]. - The automotive, home appliance, and communication equipment sectors show varying degrees of improvement in retail growth rates [2][14]. Investment Trends - Fixed asset investment in December fell by 1.2 percentage points to -13.2%, with manufacturing and service sector investments also declining [6][19]. - The "crowding out effect" from debt reduction policies is easing, leading to a marginal improvement in infrastructure investment [19][28]. - Real estate investment continues to decline, with a year-on-year drop of 17.2%, reflecting ongoing challenges in the sector [6][28]. Production Developments - Industrial value-added growth in December increased by 0.4 percentage points to 5.2%, with significant recovery in sectors with high "new momentum" such as pharmaceuticals and specialized equipment [37][46]. - Traditional sectors like automotive production are experiencing a slowdown, influenced by intensified anti-involution policies [37][46]. Summary of Economic Structure Changes - The transition in policy focus from goods to services is leading to a divergence in economic indicators, with traditional metrics showing weakness while service consumption indicators improve [3][46]. - The decline in investment growth is largely attributed to intensified corporate debt repayment policies, which ultimately benefit corporate cash flow [3][46].

Economic Overview - The GDP growth for Q4 2025 was 4.5%, matching market expectations, but down from 4.8% in the previous quarter[1] - December's retail sales growth was 0.9%, below the expected 1.5% and down from 1.3% in November[1] - Fixed asset investment showed a cumulative year-on-year decline of 3.8%, worse than the expected -2.4% and previous -2.6%[1] Consumption Trends - Retail sales below the limit weakened, with a decline of 0.5 percentage points to 3.1%[2] - Service retail sales improved, with a cumulative year-on-year increase of 0.1 percentage points to 5.5%[2] - The decline in retail sales was primarily driven by essential goods consumption, which had been front-loaded earlier in the year[2] Investment Insights - Fixed asset investment fell by 1.2 percentage points to -13.2% year-on-year in December[3] - Manufacturing and service sector investments continued to decline, while infrastructure investment showed signs of improvement due to a decrease in special refinancing debt issuance[3] - Real estate investment dropped significantly, with a year-on-year decline of 17.2%[3] Production Dynamics - Industrial value-added growth rose to 5.2% in December, up 0.4 percentage points from the previous month[3] - New energy sectors like pharmaceuticals and specialized equipment saw significant production increases, while traditional sectors like automotive production faced declines[3] Summary of Economic Changes - The economic structure is increasingly differentiated, with traditional indicators showing weakness while positive changes are emerging in service consumption and investment recovery[3] - The shift in consumption policies from goods to services is reflected in the contrasting performance of retail sales metrics[3]

Core Viewpoints - The three major changes are the improvement in service consumption, the easing of the "crowding-out effect" from debt reduction, and the recovery of new economic vitality [1][3][94]. GDP Analysis - The GDP for Q4 2025 recorded a year-on-year growth of 4.5%, matching market expectations, despite a high base effect [1][4][96]. - The actual GDP growth on a seasonally adjusted quarter-on-quarter basis increased to 1.2%, up from 1.1% in Q3 [1][94]. - The secondary industry value-added growth rate fell significantly, reflecting weakened fixed investment and declining commodity consumption [1][4][94]. Consumption Insights - Retail sales in December showed a year-on-year decline of 0.4 percentage points to 0.9%, primarily due to a drop in retail sales of goods below a certain threshold [2][6][13]. - Service retail sales improved, with a cumulative year-on-year increase of 0.1 percentage points to 5.5%, indicating a recovery in non-food service consumption [2][14][94]. Investment Trends - Fixed asset investment in December fell by 1.2 percentage points to -13.2% year-on-year, with manufacturing and real estate investments also declining [6][19][95]. - The easing of the special refinancing bond issuance ratio has led to a positive improvement in infrastructure investment [19][95]. - The decline in investment is largely attributed to corporate debt repayment policies, which, while negatively impacting current investment, may benefit future cash flow [3][19][95]. Production Developments - Industrial value-added growth in December rose by 0.4 percentage points to 5.2%, with significant recovery in sectors with high "new momentum" such as pharmaceuticals and specialized equipment [2][37][52]. - Traditional sectors like automotive production showed a decline, reflecting the impact of intensified anti-involution policies [37][94]. Summary of Economic Structure Changes - The economic structure is increasingly differentiated during the policy transition, with traditional indicators showing weakness not necessarily indicating a lack of positive changes [3][46][94]. - The shift in consumption policies from goods to services has resulted in a decline in commodity consumption indicators, while service consumption indicators have shown significant growth [3][46][94].

Group 1: PMI Overview - The manufacturing PMI for December increased to 50.1%, up 0.9 percentage points from 49.2% in November, marking a return to the expansion zone after 9 months[1][7] - The non-manufacturing PMI also rose to 50.2%, an increase of 0.7 percentage points from the previous month[1][7] Group 2: Key Support Factors - New momentum and consumer goods sectors contributed to the PMI rebound, with manufacturing PMI supported by a 1.7 percentage point rise in production and a 1.6 percentage point rise in new orders[2][8] - Emerging industries such as electrical machinery and pharmaceuticals saw PMI increases of 1.3 and 0.9 percentage points, respectively, indicating improvement despite traditional sectors declining[2][11] - The construction PMI rose significantly by 3.2 percentage points to 52.8%, reflecting a reduction in the crowding-out effect of debt on investment[3][16] - Export resilience was noted, with the new export orders index improving by 1.4 percentage points to 49%, while domestic orders increased by 1.6 percentage points to 51.1%[4][20] Group 3: Sector Performance - The overall consumer goods PMI increased by 1 percentage point to 50.4%, with notable recovery in textiles and apparel, which rose by 4.5 percentage points[3][14] - The service sector PMI improved slightly to 49.7%, with new orders and employment indices showing marginal increases[5][31] - The construction sector's new orders index rose by 1.3 percentage points to 47.4%, indicating a positive trend in demand[5][36] Group 4: Economic Outlook - The report suggests that economic growth remains resilient, driven by new momentum and supportive fiscal policies, despite traditional sectors facing downward pressure[4][22] - Risks include potential changes in the external environment and the pace of growth policies not meeting expectations[5][38]

Economic Data - In November, the year-on-year growth of social retail sales was 1.3%, lower than the expected 2.9% and the previous value of 2.9%[1] - Fixed asset investment showed a cumulative year-on-year decline of 2.6%, worse than the expected -2.2% and the previous -1.7%[1] - Real estate development investment fell by 15.9% year-on-year, compared to an expectation of -15.4% and a previous value of -14.7%[1] - Industrial added value increased by 4.8% year-on-year, slightly below the expected 5% and the previous 4.9%[1] Consumption Trends - Consumption policies have shifted focus from goods to services, with social retail sales slowing down while service retail sales increased by 5.4% year-on-year[2] - The decline in retail sales was influenced by the fading effect of e-commerce promotions and a downturn in demand for home appliances, automobiles, and furniture[2] - Service consumption remained resilient, with restaurant income showing a slight decline but overall service retail growth improving[2] Investment Insights - Fixed asset investment saw a marginal recovery, with a month-on-month increase of 2.1 percentage points to -10.1%, marking the first rebound since Q2[3] - Infrastructure investment improved by 2.9 percentage points to -6.7%, supported by new special bonds and policy financial tools[3] - Manufacturing investment rose by 4.3 percentage points to -3.6%, while service sector investment increased by 0.6 percentage points to -12.3%[3] Real Estate Sector - Real estate financing weakened significantly, with credit financing growth dropping by 11.5 percentage points to -25.3%, leading to a sharp decline in real estate investment growth to -29.9%[4] - New construction and completion rates remained in negative growth territory, with new starts down by 27.7% and completions down by 25.4%[4] - Despite falling prices, the sales area and sales amount of commercial housing increased by 7.7 percentage points and 2.8 percentage points, respectively[4]

Core Viewpoints - The PMI for November shows limited recovery, primarily influenced by high inventory levels and the fading effects of holidays [2][4][88] - In the manufacturing sector, the PMI increased slightly to 49.2%, reflecting weak overall performance despite a low base [2][10][44] - The production index remains weak, with only a minor increase to the threshold line of 50%, indicating ongoing production challenges [2][10][19] Manufacturing Sector - The manufacturing PMI rose by 0.2 percentage points to 49.2%, with production and new orders indices showing slight improvements of 0.3 and 0.4 percentage points, respectively [5][44][89] - High inventory levels from previous months continue to constrain current production, with the finished goods inventory index decreasing to 47.3% [2][19][87] - Key industries such as high-tech manufacturing and consumer goods have seen their PMIs fall into contraction territory, while energy-intensive industries have shown some improvement [3][22][88] Non-Manufacturing Sector - The non-manufacturing PMI decreased to 49.5%, primarily due to a high base from the previous month and the impact of holiday effects [3][36][59] - Service industries, including retail and hospitality, experienced declines in their PMIs, while sectors like telecommunications and financial services remained in a high growth zone [3][36][88] - The construction sector's PMI improved to 49.6%, with significant increases in new orders and employment indices, indicating a potential recovery in this area [30][36][76] Economic Outlook - The short-term disturbances from high inventory levels are expected to dissipate, and with supportive fiscal policies being implemented, economic growth is anticipated to remain resilient [4][42][88] - The easing of debt-related investment constraints is reflected in the improvements seen in energy-intensive and construction sectors [4][42][88] - Overall, the combination of external demand stability and the rollout of fiscal measures is projected to support economic resilience through the end of the year [4][42][88]

Core Viewpoints - The PMI for November shows limited recovery, primarily influenced by high inventory levels and the fading effects of holidays [2][4][87] - The manufacturing PMI increased slightly to 49.2%, up 0.2 percentage points from the previous month, but remains weak overall [5][88] - The non-manufacturing PMI fell to 49.5%, marking a decline into contraction territory, largely due to a high base from the previous month and the end of holiday effects [3][87] Manufacturing Sector - The manufacturing PMI reflects a "weak improvement" with production indices underperforming compared to new orders [2][9] - The production index rose only 0.3 percentage points to the neutral line of 50%, indicating continued weakness in overall production [2][9] - New orders index improved by 0.4 percentage points to 49.2%, slightly better than the same period last year [2][9] Inventory and Production Constraints - High inventory levels from previous months are constraining current production, with a notable "stockpiling" phenomenon observed in September [18][86] - The finished goods inventory index decreased to 47.3%, down 0.8 percentage points, suggesting a faster pace of inventory reduction [18][86] - The purchasing volume index increased by 0.5 percentage points to 49.5%, but this recovery is weaker compared to the previous month's decline [18][86] Sector Performance - High-tech manufacturing PMI fell to 50.1%, while equipment manufacturing and consumer goods sectors also dropped into contraction [21][87] - Conversely, high-energy sectors saw a PMI increase of 1.1 percentage points to 48.4%, indicating some improvement [21][87] - The construction sector's PMI rose by 0.5 percentage points to 49.6%, reflecting ongoing expansion in civil engineering activities [29][87] Non-Manufacturing Sector - The service sector PMI decreased by 0.7 percentage points to 49.5%, with declines across various industries including retail, accommodation, and transportation [3][35] - Despite the overall decline, certain sectors like railway transport and financial services maintained high activity levels, with indices above 55% [3][35] - The construction sector's business activity index showed improvement, with expectations for continued growth [29][35] Economic Outlook - The short-term disturbances from high inventory levels are expected to dissipate, and with supportive fiscal policies, economic growth is anticipated to remain resilient [4][41][87] - The easing of debt-related investment constraints is reflected in the improvements seen in high-energy and construction sectors [4][41][87] - Overall, the combination of external demand stability and the implementation of fiscal policies is projected to support economic resilience through the end of the year [4][41][87]