Beijing, China, 17 August 2026 – China’s industrial production expanded 4.5% year on year in July, slowing from 5.3% in June and falling short of the 4.8% market expectation, as weaker retail and investment readings sharpened concern over the strength of domestic demand.
Retail sales rose only 0.6% from a year earlier, down from 1% in June and below the 1.5% forecast. The result indicates that household spending remained subdued even as industrial activity continued to grow, reinforcing the imbalance between China’s production capacity and its consumer recovery.
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