China’s value-added industrial output increased by 5.3 per cent year on year in the first eight months of 2026, official data showed on Tuesday.
China’s retail sales of goods, services up 2.5 pct in first eight months
China’s total retail sales of goods and services, a major indicator of the country’s consumption strength, increased by 2.5 per cent year on year in the first eight months of 2026, official data showed Tuesday.
Retail sales of services rose 4.9 per cent year on year during the January-August period, outpacing the 1-per cent growth in goods sales, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.
Among service categories, retail sales of communication and information services, tourism consulting and rental services, and cultural, sports and leisure services posted relatively rapid growth.
In the first eight months, retail sales of consumer goods, including sales of goods and catering revenue, totaled 32.76 trillion yuan (about 4.84 trillion U.S. dollars), up 1.1 per cent year on year, the data showed.
Online retail sales of goods and services reached 13.48 trillion yuan, up 4.6 per cent. Of the total, online goods sales rose 4.3 per cent to 8.42 trillion yuan, while online service sales increased 5.1 per cent to 5.06 trillion yuan.
In August alone, retail sales of consumer goods stood at 3.98 trillion yuan, up 0.4 per cent year on year.
China’s fixed-asset investment down 7.2 pct in first eight months
China’s fixed-asset investment dropped 7.2 per cent year on year in the first eight months of 2026, official data showed Tuesday.
Investment totaled around 29.3 trillion yuan (about 4.33 trillion U.S. dollars) during this period, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said in a statement.
Excluding the property sector, the country’s fixed-asset investment decreased by 4.2 per cent in the first eight months of the year.
Notably, investment in intellectual property products rose by 9.2 per cent year on year.
Investment in high-tech industries rose 5.2 per cent year on year. In particular, investment in information service industry, aerospace and spacecraft manufacturing, and electronic and communication equipment manufacturing increased by 22.7 per cent, 14.9 per cent, and 6.9 per cent, respectively, in the first eight months.
By industry, investment in the primary industry decreased by 2.4 per cent year on year, that in the secondary industry was down by 2.9 per cent, and that in the tertiary industry down by 9.9 per cent.
In terms of sectors, the investment in infrastructure declined by 4 per cent year on year, that in manufacturing was down by 2.3 per cent, and that in real estate development declined by 19.9 per cent.
China’s surveyed urban unemployment rate averages 5.2 pct in first eight months
The surveyed urban unemployment rate in China averaged 5.2 per cent in the first eight months of 2026, unchanged from the same period last year, official data showed Tuesday.
COURTESY: Xinhua
