Robust Growth in China's Retail Sales

In the first two months of 2025, China's retail trade experienced a significant 4% year-on-year increase. This growth rate aligns with market expectations and surpasses the 3.7% increase observed in December of the previous year, as reported by the National Bureau of Statistics on Monday.

Urban and Rural Sales Dynamics

Breaking down the figures, urban areas witnessed a 3.8% rise in retail sales of consumer goods, whereas rural areas saw a slightly higher increase of 4.6%. The catering sector also enjoyed a healthy growth of 4.3% annually, and online retail sales surged by an impressive 7.3% compared to the same period last year.

Month-on-Month Growth

"February alone saw a 0.35% growth in total retail sales of consumer goods compared to the previous month," the bureau highlighted, indicating a steady upward trend in consumer spending.