Economic Performance - In December, the national GDP growth for the year reached 5%, successfully meeting the target[10] - The fixed asset investment in December saw a year-on-year decline of 15.1%, an increase of 3.1 percentage points from the previous month[4] - The manufacturing investment dropped by 10.5%, while real estate investment fell by 35.8%[4] Consumption Trends - Retail sales growth in December decreased by 0.4 percentage points to 0.9%, marking the lowest level since 2023[19] - Service retail sales continued to rise, with a cumulative year-on-year growth of 5.5%, indicating strong resilience in service consumption[19] - The average growth rate of essential consumer goods increased to 3.2%, while discretionary goods saw a decline of 4.4%[22] Industrial Production - The industrial added value in December grew by 5.2% year-on-year, with significant contributions from equipment manufacturing and high-tech industries[11] - The mining, manufacturing, and electricity sectors reported growth rates of 5.4%, 5.7%, and 0.8% respectively[11] Real Estate Market - The sales area of real estate in December experienced a year-on-year decline of 15.6%, although this was an improvement from November[25] - Housing prices continued to decline, with both new and second-hand residential prices showing a widening year-on-year drop[10] Employment and Future Outlook - The urban unemployment rate remained stable at 5.1%, consistent with the previous month and year[26] - The report emphasizes that expanding consumption is crucial for stabilizing growth in 2026, with "new infrastructure" and "energy infrastructure" as potential short-term strategies[26]