Core Insights - The current economic environment has led to a widespread perception that earning money has become significantly more difficult, driven by stagnant wages, rising living costs, and increased competition in the job market [1][10]. Income and Employment - Official data indicates that the average wage growth for residents in the first three quarters of 2025 was 5.4%, but the actual disposable income has not seen substantial increases due to rising living costs [1]. - The median income growth rate of 4.5% is lower than the average, suggesting that most ordinary individuals are falling behind [1]. - Many companies are unable to provide salary increases or bonuses, leading employees to seek side jobs, with 60% of young workers engaging in activities like content creation and ride-sharing to supplement their income [1]. Consumer Behavior - Consumer spending has become more cautious, with clothing expenditure growing only 1.6% in the first three quarters of 2025, indicating a shift towards prioritizing essential purchases [3]. - The trend of "non-essential spending" has decreased, as individuals are more likely to compare prices and seek value, leading to a decline in discretionary purchases [8]. Investment Landscape - The growth in residents' net property income was only 1.7%, the slowest among all income sources, reflecting a challenging investment environment [4]. - The decline in bank wealth management product yields below 3% and significant losses in stocks and funds have driven individuals to seek alternative investments, such as gold, which saw a 24.55% increase in consumption [4]. Job Market Dynamics - The job market has become increasingly competitive, with fewer job openings and higher requirements for candidates, making it difficult for fresh graduates to secure positions [7]. - The rise of "flexible employment" has led many individuals to rely on gig work, which often results in unstable income [7]. Economic Sentiment - The overall sentiment reflects a collective struggle with earning money, attributed to various factors including corporate profitability pressures, rational consumer demand, market risks, and reduced job supply [10]. - Despite these challenges, individuals are adapting by exploring side jobs and alternative investment strategies, indicating resilience in the face of economic shifts [10].

Group 1 - Global stock fund inflows significantly decreased to $2.27 billion for the week ending August 20, down from $19.29 billion the previous week, influenced by cautious investor sentiment towards major tech stock sell-offs and upcoming remarks from Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell at the Jackson Hole symposium [2] - U.S. equity funds experienced a net outflow of $2.4 billion, reversing the previous week's inflow of approximately $8.76 billion [5] - European and Asian equity funds saw their weekly net inflows slow to $4.2 billion and $0.7 million, respectively, compared to $7.1 billion and $2.08 billion the prior week [5] Group 2 - Global bond funds continued to attract investment for the 17th consecutive week, with a net inflow of $18.82 billion [8] - High-yield bond funds received a net inflow of $3.03 billion, marking the largest inflow in eight weeks [8] - Investors also added $2.52 billion to short-term bond funds for the eighth consecutive week [8] Group 3 - Money market funds saw a net inflow of $13.98 billion, continuing a buying trend for the third week [11] - Gold and precious metals commodity funds experienced a net outflow of $2.93 billion, ending a 12-week buying streak [11] - Emerging market equity funds attracted a net inflow of $4.58 billion after two weeks of net outflows, while bond funds saw a net increase of $2.13 billion [11]

Group 1 - Global stock funds attracted a net inflow of $10.21 billion in the week ending July 9, marking the second consecutive week of inflows, although significantly down from the previous week's $37.54 billion [2][5] - European stock funds saw an inflow of approximately $5.21 billion, the highest level since May 21, while U.S. and Asian funds recorded net inflows of $2.1 billion and $426 million, respectively [5] - Sector funds experienced a net inflow of $2.21 billion, with the technology sector showing strong performance, attracting $1.8 billion, while healthcare sector funds faced a net outflow of nearly $1.06 billion [5] Group 2 - Global bond funds continued to see strong demand, with a net inflow of $16.83 billion over 12 consecutive weeks, including $4.36 billion in euro-denominated bond funds, the highest weekly inflow in four weeks [8] - Short-term bond funds and high-yield bond funds attracted net inflows of $3.32 billion and $967 million, respectively [8] - Money market funds recorded a robust net inflow of $44.97 billion for the second consecutive week [8] Group 3 - In the commodities sector, gold and precious metals funds attracted a net inflow of $33.8 million for the seventh consecutive week, while energy funds experienced a net outflow of $8.6 million [10] - Emerging market equity funds saw a net inflow of $3.67 billion, the highest since October 9, 2024, while emerging market bond funds recorded a net inflow of $2.55 billion [10]