ECONOMY

China Factory Output Beats Forecasts in Early 2026

Published: Mar. 16, 2026 12:09 p.m. GMT+8

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Workers produce goods for export at a factory in Shijiazhuang, Hebei, March 16, 2026. Photo: VCG

China’s industrial output grew faster than expected in the first two months of this year, while retail sales showed modest improvement.

Value-added industrial output rose 6.3% year-on-year during the period, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed Monday, exceeding the 5.1% average forecast in a Caixin survey.

NBS spokesperson Fu Linghui attributed the growth to improving domestic demand, stronger exports and the effects of macroeconomic policies.

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Explore the story in 30 seconds

China's industrial output grew 6.3% year-on-year in the first two months of 2024, beating the 5.1% forecast, driven mainly by equipment manufacturing.
Retail sales rose 2.8%, surpassing the 2.4% forecast, with services and catering spending outpacing goods consumption.
Weakness remained in certain sectors, with automobile sales down 7.3% and building materials purchases falling amid continued real estate pressures.

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