Economic Growth and GDP - The actual GDP growth for the first three quarters of 2025 is 5.2%, exceeding the annual target of 5.0%[4] - The GDP growth rate for Q3 2025 is 4.8%, a decrease of 0.4 percentage points from Q2 2025[4] - The nominal GDP growth rate for Q3 2025 is 3.7%, down 0.2 percentage points from Q2 2025[4] Industrial Production - The industrial added value in September increased by 6.5%, surpassing the consensus expectation of 5.23%[10] - The cumulative industrial added value growth for the mining industry from January to September is 5.8%, while manufacturing and high-tech industries show growth rates of 6.8% and 9.6%, respectively[12] Fixed Asset Investment - From January to September, fixed asset investment fell by 0.5%, with private investment declining by 3.1%[25] - Real estate investment dropped by 13.9% during the same period, with new construction area down 18.9%[31] Consumer Spending - Retail sales in September grew by 3.0%, marking the fourth consecutive month of decline[15] - Cumulative retail sales from January to September showed a year-on-year increase of 4.9%, with significant declines in categories like petroleum products and beverages[20] Policy and Future Outlook - The government has introduced a fourth batch of "national subsidies" amounting to 69 billion yuan and has set a new local government debt limit of 500 billion yuan for 2026[1] - The macroeconomic policy adjustments will focus on achieving high-quality growth during the 14th Five-Year Plan and addressing external uncertainties[44]

Economic Growth - Q3 GDP growth slowed to 4.8% YoY, down from 5.2% in Q2, impacted by a high base effect from last year[1] - Nominal GDP growth in Q3 was 3.7%, further declining from 3.9% in Q2, marking a new low for 2023[1] - Q3 GDP deflator decreased by 1%, a smaller decline compared to the 0.2 percentage points drop in Q2[1] Industrial Production - In September, industrial value-added increased by 6.5% YoY, significantly up from 5.2% in August[2] - Seasonally adjusted MoM growth in industrial production reached 0.64%, the highest since March[2] - Automotive manufacturing value-added surged by 16% YoY, improving by 7.6 percentage points from August[2] Retail and Consumption - Retail sales growth fell to 3% YoY in September, down from 3.4% in August[2] - Consumer confidence index rose to 89.2, continuing an upward trend since Q4 of last year[3] - Per capita disposable income grew by 4.5% YoY, while per capita consumption expenditure increased by 3.4%, both lower than Q2 growth rates[3] Investment Trends - Fixed asset investment declined by 7.1% YoY in September, consistent with August's decline[3] - Infrastructure investment dropped by 8%, while real estate development investment fell by 21.3%, widening the decline from the previous month[3] - Cumulative fixed asset investment for the first three quarters showed a 0.5% YoY decrease, indicating negative growth[3] Real Estate Market - In September, the sales area of commercial housing decreased by 10.5% YoY, close to August's decline[3] - New residential prices in 70 large and medium cities fell by 0.4% MoM, a larger drop than in August[3] - Overall, real estate demand remains weak, with sales revenue down by 11.8% YoY[3]

Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the increased financial support from the government to boost infrastructure investment in China, which has seen a decline in growth rates since Q2 2025. The focus is on the rapid deployment of new policy financial tools and additional funding measures to stimulate effective investment and promote steady economic growth [4]. Group 1: Financial Tools and Measures - The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) announced a new policy financial tool with a total scale of 500 billion yuan, aimed at supplementing project capital. This initiative is expected to accelerate project construction and increase effective investment [5]. - As of October 17, the Agricultural Development Bank reported that the amount of new policy financial tools deployed exceeded 100 billion yuan, which could potentially drive an investment of 2.5 trillion yuan based on a 20% capital ratio [5]. - The Ministry of Finance allocated an additional 500 billion yuan from the local government debt limit to support local financial capacity and address existing government investment project debts [6]. Group 2: Debt and Project Initiatives - The Ministry of Finance also announced the early issuance of the 2026 local government debt limit to support key projects, with approximately 3.68 trillion yuan of new special bonds issued by September 30, 2025, which is 83.6% of the annual limit [7]. - Multiple regions, including Xinjiang, Jiangsu, and Anhui, have initiated significant project construction meetings, with hundreds of projects set to commence, indicating a push towards a construction surge in Q4 2025 [8].

1. Report Industry Investment Rating No industry investment rating is provided in the report. 2. Core Views of the Report - The GDP growth target of "5%" for the whole year is expected to be achieved. In the fourth quarter, "broad credit" will actively contribute, and investment may offset the slowdown in exports. With the injection of 500 billion yuan in policy - based financial instruments in late September and the allocation of 500 billion yuan in remaining quotas by the central government to local areas, investment is expected to recover [4]. - For the bond market, in the fourth quarter, with the implementation of "broad credit" and upcoming Sino - US negotiations, the internal economic momentum may improve marginally compared to the third quarter. The bond market may fluctuate in a narrow range on a new platform due to the intertwining of bullish and bearish factors [4]. 3. Summary by Relevant Catalogs 3.1 Third - Quarter Economic Data Overview: Investment Declines, Consumption Slows, and Exports Shine - **Overall Situation**: The cumulative growth rate of constant - price GDP in the first three quarters is 5.2%. The economy only needs to grow by more than 4.5% in the fourth quarter to achieve the annual target. In terms of rhythm, the GDP in the third quarter increased by 1.1% quarter - on - quarter, higher than that in the second quarter but lower than the same period in 2023 - 2024. In terms of price, the GDP deflator in the third quarter decreased by 1.0% year - on - year, higher than that in the second quarter, and the drag on nominal growth is narrowing [4][8]. - **Structural Features**: Investment weakening is prominent, and consumption also slows down, while exports rise against the trend, becoming a strong support for economic growth. In the third quarter, fixed - asset investment decreased by about 6.5% year - on - year, social retail sales increased by 3.4%, and exports increased by 6.6% [4][9]. - **Fourth - Quarter Outlook**: Consumption base increase may suppress readings, and exports may face marginal weakening pressure. However, with the injection of policy - based financial instruments and the allocation of remaining quotas, investment is expected to repair and offset the decline in exports to some extent [4][11]. 3.2 September Data Interpretation: Production Returns to Strength 3.2.1 Infrastructure: Policy Effects Begin to Appear, and Traditional Infrastructure Improves Marginally - From January to September, the cumulative year - on - year growth rate of infrastructure investment (excluding electricity) is +1.1%, and the full - scale infrastructure investment is +3.3%. In September, the year - on - year growth rate of infrastructure investment excluding electricity is - 4.6%, and the full - scale infrastructure is - 8.0%. In late September, the first batch of new policy - based financial instrument funds was injected, and high - frequency indicators improved, indicating an upward trend in infrastructure investment in October [1][20]. 3.2.2 Real Estate: Investment Decline Widens, and Sales Remain Stable - From January to September, the cumulative year - on - year growth rate of real estate investment is - 13.9%, and the single - month year - on - year is - 21.3%, a further decline of 1.8 percentage points. The year - on - year decline in residential sales area in September is - 11.4%, an expansion of 1.7 percentage points from the previous month. The "Golden September" market is weaker than last year, and the high - base effect may be more significant in the fourth quarter [1][24]. 3.2.3 Manufacturing Investment: Decline Continues to Widen - In September, manufacturing investment decreased by 1.9% year - on - year, with the decline expanding by 0.6 percentage points. From January to September, the cumulative year - on - year growth rate is +4.0%. The domestic price environment has not recovered, and corporate profit expectations need to be strengthened [2][25]. 3.2.4 Consumption: Weak Month - on - Month Growth and High Base Drag Down Social Retail Sales - In September, social retail sales increased by 3.0% year - on - year, a further decline of 0.4 percentage points from the previous month. The month - on - month growth rate after seasonal adjustment turned negative to - 0.18%. Due to the high - base effect of state - subsidized categories last year, the retail growth rate of related categories decreased in September this year, while communication equipment and furniture retail had relatively high growth rates [2][29]. 3.2.5 Industry: Export Pull and Peak Production Season Drive Industrial Growth to Return to Strength - In September, the industrial growth rate increased by 6.5% year - on - year, 1.3 percentage points higher than in August. The month - on - month growth rate after seasonal adjustment is +0.64%. Exports exceeded expectations in September, and the year - on - year growth rate of export delivery value increased to +3.8%, which promoted manufacturing production [2][34].

Economic Growth - The GDP growth for the first three quarters is 5.2%, indicating low urgency for policy intervention[1] - The GDP growth rate for Q3 is 4.8%, a slowdown from 5.2% in Q2[1] - Q4 growth is projected at 4.5-4.6%, sufficient to meet the annual target of 5%[1] Price and Demand Indicators - The nominal GDP growth for Q3 is 3.73%, down 0.21 percentage points from Q2's 3.94%[2] - The GDP deflator index shows a year-on-year rebound of approximately 0.2 percentage points to -1.0%, remaining negative for ten consecutive quarters[2] - Weighted year-on-year growth for industrial and service sectors in September rebounded by 0.5 percentage points to 5.9%[2] Retail and Consumption Trends - Retail sales growth in September is 3.0%, the lowest this year, with a slowdown attributed to last year's high base effects[3] - Per capita consumption expenditure in Q3 increased by 3.4%, down 1.8 percentage points from Q2[3] - The urban consumption rate is 63.4%, slightly lower than 2019, while the rural consumption rate is 84.6%, higher than 2019[4] Investment and Real Estate - Fixed asset investment from January to September decreased by 0.5%, marking the first negative growth since October 2020[5] - Infrastructure investment (excluding electricity) saw a reduced decline of 1.2 percentage points to -4.6% in September[5] - Real estate sales in September showed a year-on-year decline of 10.5% in area and 11.8% in value, but the decline in sales value narrowed by 2.2 percentage points[5] Market Outlook - The necessity for policy tightening is reduced as the annual growth target of 5% is likely to be met[6] - Supply-demand imbalances persist, with production indicators growing at 5.7% while demand indicators show a decline of -0.6%[8] - The bond market may experience upward movement as risk appetite stabilizes, with potential monetary easing expected in 2026[8]

Economic Performance - Q3 GDP growth was 4.8%, matching expectations but down from 5.2% in the previous quarter[1] - In September, industrial added value increased by 6.5%, exceeding the expected 5.2%[1] - Fixed asset investment showed a cumulative year-on-year decline of 0.5%, against an expectation of 0%[1] Consumption and Retail - Retail sales in September grew by 3.0%, slightly below the expected 3.1%[1] - Service consumption remained resilient, with service retail growth rising by 0.1 percentage points to 5.2%[3] - Below-limit retail sales weakened, dropping by 0.5 percentage points to 3.8%[3] Investment Trends - Fixed asset investment in September saw a slight recovery, up 0.7 percentage points to -6.5% year-on-year[4] - Real estate development investment continued to decline, with a cumulative year-on-year drop of 13.9%[4] - Manufacturing investment showed a slight increase, with a monthly year-on-year growth of -1.5%[4] Real Estate Market - The completion rate surged by 22.9 percentage points in September, reaching 1.5%[3] - New housing sales area saw a year-on-year decline of 5.5%[1] - Housing prices in 70 cities showed a slight recovery, but remained negative on a month-on-month basis[3] Outlook and Risks - Economic pressures are increasing, but policies are actively countering these effects, suggesting resilience in Q4[4] - Potential risks include external environment changes and slower-than-expected implementation of growth stabilization policies[4]

Core Viewpoints - The economic growth in the third quarter is supported by short-term factors and medium-term resilience, maintaining a reasonable growth rate [2][8] - GDP growth is driven by resilient service consumption, improved external demand, significant construction activity, and a phase of inventory replenishment [2][8] GDP Analysis - The GDP growth rate for the third quarter is 4.8%, matching expectations, with service consumption contributing 2.7 percentage points to GDP [2][5] - External demand has improved, and construction activity surged by 22.9 percentage points in September, boosting capital formation in GDP [2][8] Production Insights - Industrial value-added growth reached 6.5% in September, driven by specific sectors like the automotive industry, which saw a 7.6% increase [2][13] - Downstream production showed significant improvement, while upstream production remained weak due to declining investments [2][13][14] Retail and Consumption - Retail sales growth slowed to 3.0% in September, with a notable decline in retail sales of limited-value goods, while service consumption remained strong with a 5.2% increase [3][20] - The automotive sector showed signs of recovery, influenced by anticipated adjustments in subsidy policies [3][20] Real Estate Sector - The "guarantee delivery" and "existing home sales policy" have been effectively implemented, leading to a significant increase in construction activity [3][24] - Although housing prices in 70 cities showed a year-on-year increase, they remained negative on a month-on-month basis, indicating a weak recovery in sales [3][24] Investment Trends - Fixed asset investment continues to face challenges, with a year-on-year decline of 6.5% in September, primarily due to accelerated debt repayment occupying investment funds [4][33] - The construction and installation investment saw a significant drop of 15.7%, while other expenses increased by 10.1% [4][33] Economic Outlook - Despite increasing internal economic pressures, policies are actively countering these challenges, suggesting resilience in the economy for the fourth quarter [4][42] - The anticipated decline in short-term production factors may lead to downward pressure on industrial production, but policy measures, including the issuance of 500 billion yuan in local special bonds, are expected to stabilize investment [4][43]

Report Industry Investment Rating No relevant content provided. Core View of the Report The current economy shows significant differentiation and a general weakening trend, increasing the necessity for policy intervention to stabilize growth. For the bond market, the weakening fundamentals and loose liquidity will drive a trend of strengthening. There may be some risk disturbances in the first half of Q4, and interest rates may decline more smoothly in the second half. The situation where interest rates deviated from both fundamentals and liquidity in Q3 needs to be corrected. The short - term escalation of trade conflicts and the decline in risk appetite have promoted the correction process of the bond market. However, the lack of cooperation from allocation - type institutions, potential bond - selling pressure from banks, and the impact of public fund fee reform still exist, and interest rate declines may not be smooth. The dumbbell strategy is preferred, and short - term credit/certificates of deposit + long - term high - elasticity products offer higher cost - effectiveness [4][22]. Summary Based on Related Content Economic Growth and Outlook - The GDP growth rate slowed down in Q3 2025, with a real growth rate of 4.8% and a nominal growth rate of 3.7%, the lowest since Q4 2022. Although the full - year target of 5% can be achieved, there is still pressure on nominal growth. Considering the high base of Q4 last year (1.5% for real GDP growth on a quarterly - on - quarterly basis), if the quarterly - on - quarterly growth rate in Q4 does not increase significantly, there may be a continued slowdown in the year - on - year growth rate [1][7]. Economic Structural Differentiation - **Supply vs. Demand**: Supply is strong while demand is weak. In September, the industrial added - value growth rate increased by 1.3 percentage points to 6.5%, and the service industry's GDP increased by 5.6% year - on - year, remaining flat compared to the previous month. However, the consumer market and investment continued to weaken. The growth rate of social retail sales slowed to 3.0%, and the single - month fixed - asset investment growth rate slowed to - 8.4% [1][7]. - **External vs. Domestic Demand**: External demand is strong while domestic demand is weak. In September, exports increased by 8.3% year - on - year, with the growth rate increasing by 4.0 percentage points compared to the previous month, driving the year - on - year growth rate of export delivery value to increase by 4.2 percentage points to 3.8%, which in turn boosted the industrial added - value growth rate. However, domestic consumption and investment continued to decline [2]. - **New vs. Old Economy**: New economy sectors such as the Internet and new energy are growing rapidly, while old economy sectors such as real estate and infrastructure are continuously weakening. In September, the production index of the information transmission, software, and information technology service industries in the service sector increased by 12.8% year - on - year, with the growth rate increasing by 0.7 percentage points compared to the previous month. The added - value of the automotive industry in industrial added - value increased by 16% year - on - year, up 7.6 percentage points from the previous month. In contrast, real estate and infrastructure investment declined by 21.3% and 8.0% respectively in September [2]. Consumption Analysis - The growth rate of residents' disposable income slowed down, which restricted consumption. In Q3, the single - quarter year - on - year growth rate of residents' per capita disposable income was 4.52%, a decrease of 0.56 percentage points compared to the previous quarter. The year - on - year growth rate of residents' per capita consumption expenditure was 3.4%, a decrease of 1.8 percentage points compared to the previous quarter. In September, the year - on - year growth rate of social retail sales was 3.0%, a decrease of 0.4 percentage points compared to the previous month. Among the main sub - sectors of social retail sales, the year - on - year growth rates of many industries such as gold, silver, and jewelry, and sports and entertainment products declined. Although the growth rates of four industries with concentrated subsidies (household appliances, furniture, communication products, and office supplies) still supported the year - on - year performance of social retail sales, the policy effect has diminished [3][12]. Investment Analysis - **Overall Investment**: In September, the year - on - year growth rate of fixed - asset investment was - 8.4%, with the decline narrowing by 0.9 percentage points compared to the previous month. However, the year - on - year declines in the three major industries further widened [15]. - **Manufacturing Investment**: In September, the year - on - year growth rate of manufacturing investment was - 1.9%, with the decline increasing by 0.6 percentage points compared to the previous month. Due to weak downstream and terminal demand, corporate profitability was under pressure, which continued to suppress investment willingness [15]. - **Infrastructure Investment**: In September, the year - on - year growth rate of infrastructure investment was - 8.0%, with the decline increasing significantly by 1.6 percentage points compared to the previous month. The high base from the same period last year deepened the investment decline. Although the easing of the base pressure and the implementation of some fiscal incremental policies (such as the Ministry of Finance's release of 500 billion yuan in remaining quotas on October 17) can mitigate the investment slowdown to some extent, the overall impact is limited, and infrastructure investment is expected to continue to decline year - on - year [15]. - **Real Estate Investment**: In September, the year - on - year decline in real estate investment continued to widen, reaching - 21.3%, and the cumulative year - on - year decline in real estate investment continued to fall to - 13.9%. The year - on - year decline in real estate sales also widened, with the sales area falling by 11.9% year - on - year. Although the declines in new construction and completion narrowed, overall, the downward trend in real estate investment continued, increasing the need for policy support [19].

Economic Growth - Q3 GDP growth rate was 4.8%, down from 5.2% in the previous quarter, with nominal GDP growth at 3.7% compared to 3.9%[1] - The contribution of final consumption, gross capital formation, and net exports to GDP growth was 56.6%, 18.9%, and 24.5% respectively[14] - Q4 economic growth is expected to slightly decline to 4.7%, but achieving the annual growth target of around 5% is considered feasible[15] Industrial Production - In September, industrial added value increased by 6.5% year-on-year, exceeding market expectations, with a month-on-month growth of 0.64%[3] - The capacity utilization rate for industrial enterprises was 74.6% in Q3, up 0.6 percentage points from Q2[21] - High-tech manufacturing added value grew by 9.6% year-on-year, contributing 24.7% to overall industrial growth[20] Consumer Spending - Retail sales of consumer goods in September grew by 3%, down from 3.4% in the previous month, marking the fourth consecutive month of decline[4] - The "trade-in" policy supported certain categories, but overall consumer spending is expected to remain under pressure in Q4 due to reduced fiscal support[32] - The restaurant sector saw a weak performance, with dining revenue growing only 0.9% year-on-year[33] Investment Trends - From January to September, fixed asset investment (excluding rural households) decreased by 0.5%, marking the first negative cumulative data since August 2020[7] - Real estate development investment fell by 13.9%, while manufacturing investment grew by 4.0%[43] - Infrastructure investment in the electricity, heat, and water production and supply sector increased by 15.3% year-on-year, contributing 1.1 percentage points to overall investment growth[42] Employment and Policy - The urban surveyed unemployment rate in September was 5.2%, showing a slight decline, aided by policies supporting employment for college graduates[8] - The government is gradually prioritizing expanding domestic demand and consumption, indicating a shift towards counter-cyclical measures[34]

Overview - China's economy showed resilience in Q3, with actual GDP growing by 4.8% year-on-year, a slight decline of 0.4 percentage points from Q2. Cumulatively, GDP growth for the first three quarters reached 5.2%, indicating that the annual growth target is achievable [1]. Economic Structure - The supply-demand structure continues to deepen, with external demand showing unexpected resilience while internal demand is slowing down. In Q3, external demand growth outpaced production and internal demand, with non-US exports supporting external demand [3][6]. - Price governance has made initial progress, with the gap between nominal and actual GDP growth narrowing slightly. Actual GDP growth exceeded nominal growth by 1.1 percentage points, while nominal GDP growth fell to its lowest level in 2023 at 3.7% [6]. - Economic data for September showed a continuous slowdown in growth rates for four months, with production accelerating but investment and consumption declining more significantly [9]. Consumption - Retail sales growth in September was 3%, slightly below market expectations, marking the fourth consecutive month of decline. Restaurant consumption saw a more significant drop than goods consumption, with restaurant service growth falling to 0.9% [12]. - Goods consumption growth decreased by 0.3 percentage points to 3.3%, with subsidized categories experiencing a more substantial decline than non-subsidized ones. The contribution of final consumption expenditure to GDP growth in Q3 was 56.6%, driving GDP growth by 2.7 percentage points [12]. Fixed Asset Investment - Fixed asset investment fell by 0.5% in September, with infrastructure investment down by 2.1 percentage points, manufacturing investment down by 0.9 percentage points, and real estate investment down by 13.9% [17]. - Real estate sales growth was affected by base disturbances, with both sales area and amount declining by 10.5% and 11.8%, respectively. Real estate investment growth hit a record low of -21.3% in September [17][19]. Trade - September saw a significant increase in import and export growth, with exports growing by 8.3% year-on-year in USD terms, supported by low base effects and recovery in global economic conditions. Trade surplus continued to expand [25]. - Imports also saw a notable increase, driven by demand recovery from major projects, although sustainability remains uncertain [25]. Supply - Industrial production growth accelerated in September, with the industrial added value growing by 6.5%, significantly exceeding market expectations. The production and sales rate improved slightly to 96.7% [27][28]. - The manufacturing sector is experiencing a mixed impact from "anti-involution" policies, with some industries facing production slowdowns [28]. Inflation - CPI inflation showed signs of improvement, with the decline narrowing to -0.3%. Core CPI inflation rose to 1.0%, the highest in 19 months, supported by rising gold prices and improvements in some durable goods prices [29]. Outlook - The economic outlook for Q4 remains challenging, with pressures from insufficient effective demand and low price levels. The upcoming policies from the recent party meeting may provide additional support [31].