Economic Overview - The core viewpoint of the article emphasizes that despite facing risks and challenges, China's economy is showing steady progress with supportive macro policies and expanding market demand [3][12]. New Productive Forces - In July, the added value of high-tech manufacturing above designated size increased by 9.3% year-on-year, outpacing the overall industrial growth by 3.6 percentage points [4]. - The digital economy is rapidly developing, with the added value of digital product manufacturing increasing by 8.4% year-on-year in July [4]. - Production of green low-carbon products is also on the rise, with new energy vehicles, lithium-ion batteries, and wind turbine generators seeing year-on-year growth of 17.1%, 29.4%, and 19.3%, respectively [4]. Foreign Trade - In July, the total value of goods imports and exports increased by 6.7% year-on-year, with exports growing by 8% and imports by 4.8% [5]. - The diversification of trade partners is evident, with exports to ASEAN, the EU, and Belt and Road countries increasing by 14.8%, 8.2%, and 11.7%, respectively [5]. - The export of integrated circuits saw significant growth of 21.8%, indicating enhanced international competitiveness [5]. Consumption - In July, the total retail sales of consumer goods increased by 3.7% year-on-year, with service retail sales growing by 5.2% in the first seven months [6]. - The sales of home appliances, furniture, and communication equipment saw substantial growth, with increases of 28.7%, 20.6%, and 14.9%, respectively [7]. - The tourism and leisure sectors experienced rapid growth, with retail sales in related services maintaining double-digit growth [7]. Investment - Fixed asset investment grew by 1.6% year-on-year in the first seven months, with actual growth (adjusted for price factors) estimated between 4% and 5% [8][9]. - Manufacturing investment increased by 6.2%, significantly outpacing overall investment growth [9]. - Investment in high-tech industries, such as aerospace and information services, saw substantial increases of 33.9% and 32.8%, respectively [9]. Price Trends - In July, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) showed positive changes, with a month-on-month increase of 0.4% [10]. - The core CPI, excluding food and energy, rose by 0.8% year-on-year, indicating a strengthening market demand [10]. - The Producer Price Index (PPI) saw a month-on-month decline of 0.2%, but the rate of decline has narrowed, marking the first reduction in the rate since March [10].

Core Insights - Monthly commodity price forecast indicates oil prices in a fluctuating range, while copper and gold prices are expected to trend upwards [2] Domestic Demand - New housing and passenger vehicle sales growth rates have declined, while second-hand housing sales have rebounded; consumer electronics sales prices in August have shown a year-on-year decline [2] - In August, new housing sales saw a year-on-year decline, while second-hand housing sales increased but prices fell; the high base and hot weather contributed to a decrease in passenger vehicle sales growth, with retail sales declining and wholesale sales recovering [2] - Movie box office revenue and attendance have decreased but remain at historically high levels; tourism consumption continues to rise, with hotel occupancy rates increasing and revenue per available room up compared to last year [2] External Demand - The extension of the US-China tariff exemption for three months has been announced, while shipping volumes from China to the US continue to decline [3] - Overall exports are weakening, with a drop in CCFI shipping rates and a significant decrease in container throughput; however, the number of departing ships has increased [3] Production - The effects of capacity reduction are yet to be seen, with manufacturing employment reaching a new low [4] - Recent steel production has decreased due to maintenance and iron water transfer, while the profitability of sample steel mills has slightly declined but remains acceptable [4] - The average daily coal consumption of six major power generation groups has significantly increased, driving up coal prices [5] - The manufacturing employment index has increased month-on-month but shows a year-on-year decline, reaching a historical low [6] Prices - Tariff exemptions have suppressed gold prices; domestic rebar prices have increased, while cement and thermal coal prices continue to rise, and glass prices have decreased [6]

Domestic Demand - New housing and passenger car sales growth has declined, while second-hand housing sales have rebounded[2] - In August, new housing sales saw a year-on-year decline of 8%, while second-hand housing sales volume increased, but prices fell[2] - Retail sales of home appliances in August showed a downward trend in year-on-year growth[2] External Demand - The extension of tariff exemptions between China and the U.S. for three months has led to a continued decline in shipping volumes from China to the U.S.[2] - Overall exports are weakening, with the China Containerized Freight Index (CCFI) showing a decrease in shipping rates and a significant drop in container throughput[2] Production - Manufacturing employment index has reached a historical low, with a year-on-year decline continuing[2] - Steel production has decreased due to maintenance and operational adjustments, while rebar prices have started to rise[2] Prices - Tariff exemptions have suppressed gold prices, while domestic rebar prices have increased, and cement and coal prices continue to rise[2] - The geopolitical situation and rising U.S. commercial crude oil inventories have put downward pressure on oil prices[2] Risks - Potential policy changes and economic recovery not meeting expectations pose risks to the forecasts[2]

Monetary Policy Stance - The People's Bank of China (PBOC) will implement a moderately easing monetary policy [1] - The PBOC will maintain ample liquidity in the market [1] - The PBOC aims to align the growth of social financing and money supply with economic growth and price stability targets [1] - The PBOC considers promoting a reasonable rebound in prices as an important factor in monetary policy [1] Economic Objectives - The PBOC aims to maintain price levels at a reasonable level [1]

Report Industry Investment Rating No relevant content provided. Core View of the Report In July, the CPI turned from flat to rising month - on - month, mainly due to higher service prices during the summer travel season, rising international oil and gold prices, and increased demand driven by replacement policies. The PPI's month - on - month decline narrowed, and its year - on - year growth stopped falling. Overall, with policy promotion and external factors, prices improved marginally in July. However, the price improvement in the upstream of the industrial chain was significantly better than that in the mid - and downstream. Mid - and downstream enterprises' price increases were restricted by insufficient effective demand. Anti - involution policies cannot boost prices overnight, and "stabilizing prices, reducing production capacity, and increasing demand" need to be coordinated. In the short term, with the continuous implementation of replacement and anti - involution policies, domestic prices are expected to recover steadily [3][35]. Summary by Relevant Catalogs 1. Service and Industrial Consumer Goods Prices Rise, CPI Month - on - Month Exceeds Seasonal Improvement - The CPI was flat year - on - year, rising 0.4% month - on - month after a 0.1% decline last month. Its month - on - month growth was better than the seasonal average [11]. - The month - on - month increase in CPI beyond the seasonal level was mainly driven by rising service and industrial consumer goods prices. During the summer travel season, service prices rose 0.6% month - on - month, contributing about 0.26 pct to the CPI increase. International oil price hikes and replacement policies led to a 0.5% month - on - month increase in industrial consumer goods prices, contributing about 0.17 pct to the CPI increase [11]. - The carry - over effect turned negative, and the negative impact on the CPI year - on - year reading from the carry - over effect will expand from August to September [12]. - The year - on - year increase in the core CPI has been expanding for three consecutive months, with the highest month - on - month increase this year, mainly affected by rising prices of gold and platinum jewelry and services [14]. - Among the eight major categories, service - related items such as transportation, communication, education, culture, entertainment, and other supplies and services had relatively large month - on - month increases, while food and tobacco decreased both month - on - month and year - on - year [16]. - Food prices declined more than the seasonal average, dragging the CPI from rising to flat. In July, food prices fell 0.2% month - on - month, and the year - on - year decline widened, mainly due to high base prices last year [17]. - Non - food prices rose more than the seasonal average, supported by the summer travel season, rising international oil prices, and policies to boost domestic demand, which was the main factor for the CPI to turn from decline to increase month - on - month [20]. 2. Raw Material and Energy Mining and Processing Prices Improve, PPI Month - on - Month Decline Narrows - The PPI was flat year - on - year, and its month - on - month decline narrowed. In July, the PPI decreased 3.6% year - on - year, with the same decline as last month, and 0.2% month - on - month, with a 0.2 pct narrower decline than last month [25]. - The negative impact of the carry - over effect on the PPI weakened. In August, the PPI carry - over factor rose to - 0.7%, and from September to December, it will be in the range of 0 to - 0.1%. With the continuous release of policies to expand domestic demand and combat involution, the year - on - year decline in PPI may narrow significantly [27]. - The month - on - month decline in production material prices narrowed, while the decline in consumer goods prices widened [28]. - By industry, industries such as oil and gas extraction, fuel processing, and non - ferrous metal mining and processing had relatively large month - on - month increases, while industries such as coal, ferrous metal ore, and non - metallic mineral mining had relatively large month - on - month decreases. Overall, industrial product prices in most industries still declined, but some upstream industries showed obvious improvements [30]. - The decline in the PPI - CPI gap narrowed, but mid - and downstream industrial enterprises still faced significant pressure, mainly due to rising upstream prices, falling or stagnant downstream prices, and insufficient endogenous consumer demand [34]. 3. Conclusion: Positive Signals in July's Prices In July, the CPI turned from flat to rising month - on - month, and the PPI's month - on - month decline narrowed. Overall, prices improved marginally in July. However, the price improvement in the upstream was better than that in the mid - and downstream. Anti - involution policies need to be coordinated with "stabilizing prices, reducing production capacity, and increasing demand." In the short term, domestic prices are expected to recover steadily with continuous policy implementation [35].

Core Insights - The People's Bank of China released the results of the Q2 2025 survey indicating that over half of entrepreneurs and bankers view the current macroeconomic performance as stable and normal, holding a neutral to cautious attitude towards the overall economy [1][3][4] Group 1: Entrepreneur Insights - The entrepreneur's business climate index and profit index both increased compared to the previous quarter, with values of 49.3% and 53.2% respectively, indicating a slight improvement in business sentiment [3] - 50.8% of entrepreneurs believe the macroeconomic performance is normal, while 48.6% consider it "cold" [3] - The survey revealed that 32.5% of entrepreneurs expect to "increase profits or reduce losses," an increase of 6.5 percentage points from the previous quarter [3] Group 2: Banker Insights - The banker macroeconomic heat index for Q2 was 33.2%, a decrease from the previous quarter, with 61.9% of bankers viewing the macroeconomic performance as normal [4] - 50% of bankers rated the monetary policy as loose, with a monetary policy sentiment index of 74.6%, which is high [4] - The banker’s expectation for the macroeconomic heat index for Q3 is 37.3%, indicating a more optimistic outlook compared to Q2 [4] Group 3: Resident Insights - In a survey of urban residents, 69.7% reported that their income remained stable in Q2, with a cautious outlook on employment [5] - 51.5% of residents perceive the employment situation as severe, reflecting a cautious sentiment towards job security [5] - 32.1% of residents plan to increase spending on tourism, surpassing education as the top choice for additional expenditures [2][6]

Core Viewpoint - The overall sentiment among entrepreneurs and bankers regarding the macroeconomic performance is neutral but cautious, with over half of the respondents perceiving the current economic situation as stable [1][11]. Group 1: Entrepreneur Sentiment - The business climate index and profit index for entrepreneurs have both increased compared to the previous quarter, indicating a slight improvement in sentiment [2][9]. - In the second quarter, 50.8% of entrepreneurs believe the macroeconomic performance is normal, while 48.6% consider it "cold" [5]. - The entrepreneur's macroeconomic heat index stands at 26.0%, which is a decrease from the previous quarter [5]. - The perception of product sales prices and raw material purchase prices remaining stable is reported by 71.2% and 75.5% of entrepreneurs, respectively [7]. Group 2: Banker Sentiment - The macroeconomic heat index for bankers is recorded at 33.2%, showing a decline from the previous quarter, with 61.9% of bankers viewing the macroeconomic performance as normal [11]. - The bankers' sentiment towards monetary policy is positive, with 50% rating it as accommodative [14]. - The bankers' macroeconomic heat expectation index for the third quarter is 37.3%, indicating a more optimistic outlook compared to the second quarter [11]. Group 3: Consumer Sentiment - The urban residents' survey indicates a cautious outlook on employment, with 51.5% perceiving the job market as severe [17]. - Approximately 69.7% of residents believe their income situation remains unchanged in the second quarter [16]. - The top spending intention among residents for the next three months is tourism, surpassing education, with 32.1% planning to increase spending in this area [19]. Group 4: Economic Policy and Market Response - The central bank has implemented a series of monetary and financial policies to stabilize the economy, which has positively impacted market confidence [12]. - The overall demand for loans has decreased compared to the previous quarter, reflecting a cautious lending environment [15].

Group 1: Commodity Price Forecast - Gold and copper prices are experiencing slight upward trends, while oil prices are also on the rise [1][11] - The recent trade agreement between the US and Japan may impact commodity prices positively, particularly for gold [11][6] Group 2: Consumption Trends - New home sales are seeing an expanded decline, while used car sales are stabilizing; however, tourism consumption remains strong [2][3] - The average selling price of home appliances has shown mixed performance year-on-year, with some categories increasing and others decreasing [3] Group 3: Foreign Trade Developments - Export activities are slightly weakening, with a decrease in container shipping rates and a drop in scheduled container bookings from China to the US [5][4] - The US and Japan have reached a trade agreement that reduces tariffs from 25% to 15%, which may influence trade dynamics in the region [6] Group 4: Production Insights - Steel prices continue to rise, supported by market sentiment and cost factors, with steel mill profitability improving [9][8] - The glass market is showing signs of improvement, although downstream demand remains weak, limiting price increases [10] Group 5: Price Movements - Domestic pork wholesale prices have risen for three consecutive weeks, while prices for rebar and thermal coal continue to increase [11] - The average occupancy rate of hotels and the average daily rate per available room are both on the rise, indicating a robust tourism sector [3]

Group 1: Industrial Production - Industrial production remains relatively stable, with the blast furnace operating rate maintaining at 0.7% year-on-year [2][5][8] - The chemical production chain shows a slight decline, with soda ash and PTA operating rates down by 2.6 percentage points to 6% and 0.9 percentage points to 1.3%, respectively [2][15] - The automotive sector's semi-steel tire operating rate is still below last year's level, increasing by 2.7 percentage points to -6.3% [2][15] Group 2: Construction Industry - The construction industry shows a mixed performance, with the nationwide grinding operating rate down by 2.4 percentage points to 3.7% [2][27] - Cement shipment rates remain low, with a year-on-year increase of 1.2% to -3% [2][27] - Asphalt operating rates have seen a recovery, increasing by 0.6 percentage points to 7.4% [2][35] Group 3: Real Estate Transactions - Real estate transactions are at a low point, with the average daily transaction area for new homes down by 19.1% year-on-year, despite a 13.1% increase [2][44] - First-tier cities continue to see a decline in transactions, down by 18.6% to 39.9% [2][44] - Third-tier cities show significant improvement, with transaction volumes increasing by 72.4% to 17% [2][44] Group 4: Transportation and Shipping - National railway and highway freight volumes have decreased, with year-on-year declines of 1.3% to 1.2% and 0.9% to 0.8%, respectively [2][54] - Port cargo throughput and container throughput have also shown a decline, down by 9.3% to 6.8% and 4.7% to 0.9%, respectively [2][54] - The overall intensity of human mobility remains high, with a slight year-on-year decrease of 2% to 12.6% [2][63] Group 5: Price Trends - Agricultural product prices are mixed, with pork and vegetable prices rising by 0.1% and 0.8% respectively, while egg and fruit prices fell by 2.2% and 0.1% [3][85] - Industrial product prices have generally increased, with the South China industrial price index rising by 1.1% [3][93] - The energy and chemical price index increased by 1.3%, while the metal price index rose by 0.7% [3][93]

Group 1: Commodity Price Forecast - The article predicts that gold and copper prices are experiencing fluctuations upward, while oil prices are on the rise [1] - The gold price has recently declined due to a rebound in June CPI data, a decrease in interest rate cut expectations from the Federal Reserve, and a strengthening dollar index [12] - The prices of major commodities such as rebar and thermal coal continue to rise, while the price of cement is on a downward trend [11] Group 2: Consumer Market Analysis - New home sales are experiencing an expanded decline, while the sales of used cars are slightly recovering, and the average price of home appliances has mostly decreased year-on-year [3] - Service consumption shows a mixed performance, with a slight increase in foot traffic in commercial areas, but a decline in movie box office revenues [4] - Retail sales of passenger vehicles are declining, with wholesale sales increasing, indicating a shift in market dynamics [3] Group 3: Foreign Trade Insights - Export activities are showing signs of weakness, with a decrease in the growth rate of departing ships' cargo weight and a decline in export container freight rates [6] - The shipping volume from China to the U.S. has increased, while U.S. retailers and wholesalers are experiencing a year-on-year decline in inventory levels [7][6] Group 4: Production Trends - The production of rebar is decreasing, and inventory levels are continuing to drop, leading to a rise in prices due to market sentiment and cost support [9] - High temperatures are increasing daily coal consumption at power plants, which is positively impacting market sentiment and leading to a rise in coal prices [10] Group 5: Price Movements - The article notes that the prices of various commodities have shown a decline recently, with specific mention of the continuous rise in domestic pork wholesale prices and the recovery of glass prices [11] - The article highlights the fluctuations in commodity prices, particularly the stability of copper and oil prices amidst geopolitical influences [12]