Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the industry [1] Core Insights - Exports have stabilized sequentially amid a tariff truce, with nominal exports rising 0.8% month-over-month seasonally adjusted, following a decline of 0.4% in April [5][11] - Exports to Europe improved significantly, increasing by 9% cumulatively over the past three months, partly due to a ~10% depreciation of the RMB against the EUR since the end of January [3][11] - The outlook for export growth is cautious, with expectations of 0% nominal export growth for 2025, indicating a potential decline of approximately -5% year-on-year in the second half of the year [4] Summary by Sections Export Performance - In May 2025, exports totaled $316 billion, showing a year-on-year increase of 4.8% [6] - Exports to the US contracted at a milder pace of -8% month-over-month seasonally adjusted after a significant drop of -25% in April [11] - Consumer goods exports showed a rebound, aligning with their high elasticity of demand, while rare earth exports continued to decline [11] Import Trends - Imports totaled $213 billion in May 2025, reflecting a year-on-year decline of -3.4% [6] - The decline in imports was driven by a persistent decrease in commodity volumes and prices, indicating weaker global and domestic demand [3][11] - Notable declines in specific products included unwrought copper and products (-16.9%), steel products (-20.0%), and crude petroleum oil (-22.1%) [6] Trade Balance - The trade balance for May 2025 was reported at $103 billion, an increase from $96 billion in April [6] - The overall trade balance for the first five months of 2025 reached $273 billion, compared to $298 billion in the same period of 2024 [6]

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the industry Core Insights - Market optimism is increasing due to anticipated trade deals, despite a modest contraction in real GDP of 0.3% in Q1, driven by strong imports and a robust private domestic demand growth of 3.0% [1] - Employment data shows an increase of 177k jobs in April, with the unemployment rate stable at 4.2%, although future labor market data may weaken due to tariff impacts [1][29] - The report anticipates three stages of tariff impacts: front-loading of demand, increased uncertainty, and eventual supply/demand reduction [15] Summary by Sections Economic Activity - Real GDP contracted by 0.3% in Q1, primarily due to surging imports, while private domestic demand rose by 3.0% [16] - Strong consumption and investment in Q1 may be partially attributed to tariffs, with unit auto sales remaining high at 17.27 million in April [17][19] - The report forecasts a 1.4% increase in GDP for Q2, supported by front-loading activity and a decline in imports [19][73] Labor Market - The hiring rate was stable at 3.4% in March, but job openings fell, indicating potential future weakness in the labor market [26] - Continuing jobless claims reached their highest post-pandemic level, suggesting a possible rise in the unemployment rate to 4.4-4.5% in May [31] - April employment data reflects conditions prior to the April 2 tariff announcement, and subsequent data may show the effects of weak hiring [29] Tariff Impacts - The report outlines that the immediate impact of tariffs has increased uncertainty, leading to a pause in investment and hiring plans [25] - Tariffs on many goods from China are significantly high, which is expected to reduce imports and impact related sectors like manufacturing and transportation [34][40] - Planned layoffs due to tariffs have started to rise, indicating potential future job losses in manufacturing and other sectors [41] Inflation and Price Trends - Core PCE inflation was stronger than expected in Q1, with a slowdown to 2.6% YoY in March, and the report anticipates that inflation will largely be concentrated in goods prices [46][47] - The report suggests that the timing and magnitude of tariff-related impacts on the economy are difficult to estimate, with inflation likely to rise as tariffs remain high [49][78] Federal Reserve Outlook - The report expects the Federal Reserve to cut rates by a total of 125 basis points this year, starting in June, contingent on labor market data weakening [49][50] - The Fed is likely to maintain policy rates in the upcoming meeting, focusing on inflation and labor market conditions [50][51]