China industrial output and retail sales beat expectations
Industrial output rose 6.3% in early 2026 while retail sales grew 2.8%. Both figures beat expectations as fixed asset investment also saw an unexpected rise.
Economic activity in China showed significant momentum during the first two months of the year, with industrial production and retail sales exceeding market forecasts. According to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Monday, industrial output surged by 6.3% in the January-February period compared to the previous year. This performance represents a notable acceleration from the 5.2% growth recorded in December and surpassed the 5.0% increase anticipated by economists in a Reuters poll.
Consumption also showed signs of recovery as retail sales climbed 2.8% during the same period. This figure improved upon the 0.9% growth seen in December and beat the 2.5% expansion predicted by analysts. The retail sector remains a critical metric for gauging the strength of domestic demand within the world's second-largest economy.
