A look at China's H1 economic data

China's economy was generally stable and remained within a reasonable range, with progress made in certain areas in the first half of 2019.

China's economic growth remained steady in the first half of 2019 despite headwinds, with a number of conditions supporting high-quality development, according to the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

China's GDP growth came in at 6.3 percent year-on-year in the first half of this year, meeting the government target of between six and 6.5 percent set for 2019.

In the second quarter of this year, growth slowed to 6.2 percent, its slowest pace in the 27 years since quarterly record keeping began.

Mao Shengyong, National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) spokesman, said that "growth remained on track despite increasing external uncertainties and new downward growth pressure".

The NDRC said it will take measures to address points of weakness, ensure stable investment, further improve the coordination mechanism, begin construction of major national projects, promote the healthy growth of private investment and deepen reform in delegating powers, enhancing regulation and strengthening public services.

1GDP growth came in at 6.3% in H1

China's economy grew 6.3 percent year-on-year in the first half of 2019, according to NBS data.

Growth was in line with the government's target of between six and 6.5 percent.

In the second quarter, growth slowed from 6.4 percent in the previous quarter to 6.2 percent year-on-year, its slowest pace in the 27 years since quarterly record keeping began.

2CPI up 2.2%

In the first half of this year, China's consumer price index, a measure of inflation, increased 2.2 percent compared with the same period last year, according to the NBS.

In June, CPI rose 2.7 percent year-on-year, remaining unchanged from May.

3PPI up 0.3%

China's producer price index, which measures costs for goods at factory gates, rose 0.3 percent year-on-year in the first half of 2019, according to NBS data.

In June, the index equaled the figure of the same period last year, with the expansion quickening by 1.3 percentage points from May to 6.3 percent.

4PMI remains stable in June

The purchasing managers' index for China's manufacturing sector remained stable at 49.4 in June, equal to the figure for May, the NBS said.

A reading above 50 indicates expansion, while a reading below reflects contraction.

China's non-manufacturing sector remained steady in June, with a PMI of 54.2.

5Industrial output expands 6%

China's value-added industrial output expanded six percent year-on-year in the first half of 2019, down from 6.5 percent in the first quarter, the NBS said.

In June alone, industrial output increased 6.3 percent year-on-year, 1.3 percentage points faster than the figure registered in May.

6Fixed-asset investment up 5.8%

China's fixed-asset investment grew 5.8 percent year-on-year in the first half of this year, 0.2 percentage points faster than the growth in the first five months, according to NBS data.

A total of 94 fixed-asset investment projects with a combined investment of 471.5 billion yuan ($69 billion) were approved in the first half of the year.

7Property investment up 10.9%

China's real estate investment increased 10.9 percent year-on-year in the first half of this year, the NBS said.

Growth was slower than the 11.8-percent expansion recorded in the first quarter and the 11.2-percent increase in the first five months.

Total property investment in the first half of this year amounted to 6.16 trillion yuan, with 73.3 percent flowing into residential housing.

8Retail sales up 8.4%

China's sales of consumer goods rose 8.4 percent year-on-year in the first half of 2019 to 19.52 trillion yuan, the NBS said.

The pace was 0.1 percentage points faster than the first quarter.

In June, retail sales surged by 9.8 percent year-on-year to 3.39 trillion yuan, 1.2 percentage points higher than in the previous month.

9Foreign trade up 3.9%

China's total foreign trade volume reached 14.67 trillion yuan in the first half of the year, up 3.9 percent year-on-year, 0.2 percentage points faster than growth in the first quarter, according to China's General Administration of Customs.

Exports expanded 6.1 percent while imports increased 1.4 percent.

10New yuan loans at 9.67t yuan

China's new yuan loans increased by 644 billion yuan year-on-year to reach 9.67 trillion yuan in the first half of the year, according to the People's Bank of China.

In June, new yuan-denominated loans stood at 1.66 triliion yuan, up from 1.18 trillion yuan in May.

The M2, a broad measure of money supply that covers cash in circulation and all deposits, rose 8.5 percent year-on-year to 192.14 trillion yuan at the end of June.

11FDI grows steadily

China's foreign direct investment climbed 7.2 percent year-on-year to 478.33 billion yuan in the first half of 2019, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

In US dollar terms, the amount stood at $70.74 billion, up 3.5 percent year-on-year.

In June alone, total foreign investment actually utilized climbed 8.5 percent year-on-year to 109.27 billion yuan.

12Fiscal revenue expands 3.4%

China's fiscal revenue climbed 3.4 percent year-on-year to 10.78 trillion yuan in the first half this year, according to the Ministry of Finance.

The growth dropped from the 3.8-percent gain registered for January to May.

During the first half of the year, the central government collected 5.16 trillion yuan in fiscal revenue, up 3.4 percent year-on-year, while local governments saw fiscal revenue expand 3.3 percent to 5.63 trillion yuan.

13Per-capita disposable income up 8.8%

China's per-capita disposable income stood at 15,294 yuan in the first half of 2019, up 8.8 percent year-on-year in nominal terms, the NBS said.

The inflation-adjusted growth was 6.5 percent.

During the period, per-capita disposable income in rural areas continued to grow faster than that in urban regions.

14Job market remains stable in June

China's jobs market remained stable in June, with the surveyed unemployment rate in urban areas standing at 5.1 percent, the NBS said.

The rate went up 0.1 percentage points from the previous month.

China, having vowed to create more than 11 million new urban jobs in 2019, had created 7.37 million new urban jobs in the first half, 67 percent of the target for the whole year.

15Electricity consumption up 5%

China's electricity consumption, a key barometer of economic activity, rose five percent year-on-year in the first half of 2019, the NDRC said.

Total power use hit 3.4 trillion kilowatt hours in the first half of the year.

In June alone, the country's power use grew 5.5 percent year-on-year, 3.2 percentage points higher than in the figure for May.

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