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China+ Publications

Below is a list of our China+ Publications for the last 6 months. If you are looking for reports older than 6 months please email info@pantheonmacro.com, or contact your account rep

Please use the filters on the right to search for a specific date or topic.

Daily Monitor Duncan Wrigley

14 June 2024 China+ Monitor China likely to opt for targeted response to EU tariffs on EVs

  • China will probably temper its response to the EU’s EV tariffs; a full-blown trade war should be avoided.
  • Labour Day holiday tourism likely boosted retail sales in May; car sales remain weak amid price cuts.
  • May’s jump in government-bond issuance should keep fixed asset investment ticking over.

Duncan WrigleyChina+

11 June 2024 China+ Monitor Japan's sluggish growth buffeted by widening auto safety investigations

  • Revised data confirm Japan’s weak Q1 GDP performance, especially private consumption.
  • The biggest short-term growth risk is the auto safety-test fiasco, encompassing five more firms.
  • China’s May foreign reserves rebounded thanks to currency valuation effects and a larger trade surplus.

Duncan WrigleyChina+

7 June 2024 China+ Monitor China's service sector recovery is broadening, except for property

  • The May Caixin services activity index hit its highest level for almost a year, thanks to holiday spending.
  • Consumers are mostly opting for cheaper products, but this is starting to change as the recovery firms.
  • Restrained services inflation is likely to continue, given the cautious optimism about future demand.

Duncan WrigleyChina+

4 June 2024 China+ Monitor China's manufacturing output exceeding demand

  • China’s May manufacturing PMIs sent mixed signals, reflecting the uneven recovery.
  • Production continues to power ahead of demand, which 60% of manufacturers view as “insufficient”.
  • Stimulus funds have yet to boost construction, but steelmakers are optimistic about the year ahead.

Duncan WrigleyChina+

21 May 2024 China+ Monitor China's new property measures a good first step, but not enough

  • Policymakers on Friday announced a raft of property support measures aimed at tackling oversupply...
  • ...But the funding allocated to buy up unsold housing inventory is just the start, and more will be needed.
  • In April, second-hand housing prices plunged at their steepest rate since September 2014.

Duncan WrigleyChina+

14 May 2024 China+ Monitor Bond issuance to start on Friday, in wake of miserable April credit data

  • China’s Ministry of Finance yesterday announced ultra-long special-bond issuance will start on Friday.
  • April’s credit data hit a wall, due to government-bond and bankers’ acceptances repayments .
  • Rising government-bond issuance should lift bond yields and credit growth from May onwards.

Duncan WrigleyChina+

10 May 2024 China+ Monitor China's exports recoup lost ground in April, thanks to base effects

  • China export growth bounced in April, thanks partly to receding high base from last year.
  • Adjusted for seasonal factors, monthly exports actually steepened its fall, pointing to still fragile recovery.
  • While exports share to US decreased over the years, those to Vietnam and Mexico are on the rise

Duncan WrigleyChina+

8 May 2024 China+ Monitor PSL funding removal likely heralding policy-bank bond issuance

  • April’s RMB343B PSL net repayment is probably related to the PBoC’s desire to cushion bond yields.
  • The April Caixin services activity PMI barely slowed, a rosier picture than the drop in the official index.
  • The Caixin index is tracking the service-sector output data better than the official index.

Duncan WrigleyChina+

3 May 2024 China+ Monitor Glass-half-full Korean PMI: higher output but also higher costs

  • Korea’s April manufacturing PMI points to improving output and demand trends year-to-date.
  • But burgeoning cost pressures are making firms cautious on hiring and inventory purchasing.
  • The BoK is likely to worry about these cost pressures disrupting the slowing trend in consumer inflation.

Duncan WrigleyChina+

1 May 2024 China+ Monitor China's output rebound continues; Politburo tone more confident

  • Both China’s April PMIs agree that manufacturing output is going from strength to strength...
  • ...But the official gauge shows demand fading slightly, while the Caixin indicates further robustness.
  • It was announced at yesterday’s Politburo meeting the reform-oriented Third Plenum will be held in July.

Duncan WrigleyChina+

26 April 2024 China+ Monitor PBoC views long-term yields as too low, despite the soft recovery

  • China’s structural problems, notably in the property sector, are limiting the efficacy of interest rate cuts.
  • But varied public views on the management of bond yields hint at a broader internal policy debate.
  • Labour-market issues are compounded by credit constraints for private firms, especially SMEs.

Duncan WrigleyChina+

25 April 2024 China+ Monitor Weak JPY should force a tougher BoJ posture, but no rate hike yet

  • The BoJ is likely to keep the policy rate unchanged, as Japan hasn’t attained sustainable inflation yet.
  • Broad wage growth is likely to lag strong pay rises at large employers, while consumption looks soft.
  • But building pressure on JPY will probably force the Bank to strike a more hawkish tone on future rates.

Duncan WrigleyChina+

17 April 2024 China+ Monitor Chinese GDP growth rises in Q1, but output is outpacing demand

  • China’s Q1 GDP growth picked up, thanks to robust industrial output and consumer services spending.
  • But a marked fall in industrial capacity utilisation points to burgeoning oversupply issues...
  • …Fiscal stimulus should boost demand to mitigate the oversupply, eventually; meanwhile, PPI deflation.

Duncan WrigleyChina+

16 April 2024 China+ Monitor PBoC holds the MLF rate steady, despite lacklustre domestic demand

  • The PBoC left the MLF rate unchanged yesterday, likely wary of currency pressure.
  • Social financing growth slowed in March, due to soft domestic demand and lower bond issuance.
  • Government-bond issuance is likely to pick up in Q2, the key plank of short-term growth support.

Duncan WrigleyChina+

11 April 2024 China+ Monitor China's uneven recovery set to make only halting progress

  • China’s GDP growth should increase slightly in Q1 quarter-to-quarter, but severe imbalances persist.
  • A robust industrial sector contrasts with plunging new-property sales and flat consumption activity.
  • Policy support for consumer goods trade-ins and equipment upgrades should be incrementally helpful.

Duncan WrigleyChina+

3 April 2024 China+ Monitor Hopeful signs of a gradually broadening recovery in China

  • China’s March official and Caixin manufacturing PMIs were both above 50 for the first time since September.
  • A strong industrial sector is generating demand for business services too.
  • But the lacklustre labour market and dismal property sector will limit the speed of China’s recovery.

Duncan WrigleyChina+

27 March 2024 China+ Monitor FDI into China has weathered the storm, but the waters are still choppy

  • China’s foreign direct investment seems to have passed its lowest point, hit in late 2023.
  • Top policymakers are rolling out the red carpet to tempt foreign CEOs back to China, as it recovers.
  • But geopolitical tensions will limit the foreign investment rebound, especially in high-tech sectors.

Duncan WrigleyChina+

22 March 2024 China+ Monitor Japan's sunny service sector clouded by insipid manufacturing activity

  • Japan’s March flash manufacturing PMI points to still-tepid activity, though improving modestly.
  • The service sector continues to shine brightly, albeit based narrowly on tourism and finance.
  • A jump in service-sector input costs is a worrying sign of persistently elevated inflation.

Duncan WrigleyChina+

19 March 2024 China+ Monitor China's China's industrial sector strength contrasting with tepid consumption

  • China’s lopsided recovery continued in January and February, led by a galloping industrial sector...
  • ...Demand is likely mainly coming from exports and fixed asset investment, with consumption still tepid.
  • Further price cuts should drive car sales, while new-property developer woes continue.

Duncan WrigleyChina+

14 March 2024 China+ Monitor BoJ likely to hold off normalising rates until April

  • BoJ Governor Ueda gave mixed signals at his legislature appearance on Tuesday.
  • Japan’s January household spending data were broadly weak, but the incoming wage data are key...
  • ...The BoJ is likely to keep rates on hold next week, waiting for more data, leaving the rate hike until April.

Duncan WrigleyChina+

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