Financial

February exports up 45.7% from a year earlier

China's exports rose 45.7% to $94.52bn (Rmb 645.3bn, €69.6bn, £63.3bn) from a year earlier in February, while imports were up 44.7% to $86.9bn, narrowing the country's trade surplus to $7.6bn from $14.2bn in January, according to data released by the General Administration of Customs today. Two-way trade was up 45.2% year on year to $181.43bn. On a seasonally adjusted basis, exports were up 59.1% year on year, while imports surged a massive 74.7%, the bureau reported.

  • 10 March 2010

New loans in February expected to be Rmb 700bn

February lending is expected to be around Rmb 700bn ($102.5bn, £68.8bn, €75.7bn), according to domestic banking sources, down sharply from January when new loans hit Rmb 1,390bn. It may however be too early to construe that credit tightening measures are impacting lending behaviour. Lending days were cut significantly in February due to the Chinese New Year holiday between February 14-20, and the fact that February was a short month.

  • 10 March 2010

Rmb appreciation. Will 2010 be the year?

Arguments exist both for and against the move, but overall, the case for an early appreciation of the renminbi is less than compelling.

  • 04 March 2010

Informal lending takes off, regulation proposed

A surge in informal lending rates raises concerns in Beijing, which renews its desire to regulate the freewheeling sector.

  • 04 March 2010

Factor inflation shows overheating

An almost across-the-board rise in industrial input prices shows the structural nature of China's inflationary pressures, obliging Beijing to maintain vigilance against overheating.

  • 04 March 2010

The outlook for Chinese listings

Gavin Ni, chief executive officer and president of Zero2IPO, talks on China's initial public offering environment in 2010.

  • 04 March 2010

The course of monetary tightening

How far will Beijing go to forestall economic overheating?

  • 04 March 2010

China stays out of favour

Investors withdrew from China funds for the seventh consecutive week.

  • 04 March 2010

Where have all the migrants gone?

Opportunities closer to home are leading to labour shortages at factories along the eastern seaboard.

  • 04 March 2010

Jing Ulrich, JPMorgan: China's US Treasury Holdings Register Largest Monthly Decline Since 2000

According to the latest Treasury International Capital (TIC) data, China was a net seller of US Treasuries in December, cutting its holdings by $34.2bn (4.3%) to $755.4bn. China's share of total outstanding short and long-term US Treasury securities among foreign holders declined to 20.9% in December, from 23% at mid-2009. With China's total holdings retreating to the lowest level since February 2009, Japan has regained the mantle as the largest foreign investor in US Treasury securities, with $768.8 billion in US sovereign debt in December or 21.3% of total foreign holdings of US Treasury securities.

  • 23 February 2010

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