Russian Stock Market Closes Flat as Energy and Fertilizer Stocks Lead Gains 
China's New Home Prices Continue to Fall in February 2025 
Dollar Strengthens Amid Oil Price Surge and Inflation Fears 
U.S. Markets Tumble as Iran Closes Strait of Hormuz, Oil Prices Surge 
Asian Currencies Tumble as Indian Rupee Hits Record Low Amid Oil Market Turmoil 
U.S.-China Trade Talks Resume in Paris Amid Rising Global Tensions 
Iran War Sends Oil Prices Surging Past $100 as Hormuz Crisis Deepens 
Global EV Sales Slump in February as China Records Steepest Decline Since COVID-19 
Gold Prices Slip as Iran Conflict and Fed Uncertainty Weigh on Markets 
Iran-Israel War Sparks Global Oil Crisis as Tankers Burn in Gulf Waters 
USMCA Reaffirmed as Canada and Mexico Push Back Against U.S. Bilateral Trade Signals 
Dollar Steadies Near 10-Month High as Central Banks Prepare for Critical Rate Decisions 
U.S. Stocks Slide as Iran War Fuels Oil Price Volatility and Market Uncertainty 
Cuba-U.S. Talks Begin Amid Deepening Energy Crisis 
U.S.-China Trade Talks Head to Paris as Officials Push for Balanced Economic Relations 
Asian Markets Retreat as Oil Prices Surge Toward $100 Amid Middle East Tensions 
China kicked off 2026 on a stronger-than-expected economic footing, with both industrial production and retail sales surpassing analyst forecasts during the January–February period, reinforcing confidence in the world's second-largest economy.
Industrial output expanded 6.3% year-on-year, comfortably beating the projected 5.3% growth and marking a significant acceleration from the 5.2% recorded in December 2025. The robust performance reflects sustained momentum in Chinese manufacturing, underpinned by resilient global export demand for Chinese goods.
Consumer spending also showed encouraging signs of recovery. Retail sales climbed 2.8% year-on-year, edging past the consensus estimate of 2.6%. A major contributing factor was the surge in household spending tied to the Lunar New Year holiday in early February, which traditionally drives elevated consumer activity across dining, travel, and retail sectors.
One of the more notable highlights in Monday's government data release was the rebound in fixed asset investment, a critical indicator of business and infrastructure spending. Investment grew 1.8% during the two-month period, defying expectations of a 5.0% contraction and marking the first positive reading since August 2025. The turnaround suggests that Beijing's ongoing fiscal stimulus measures are beginning to translate into tangible capital expenditure on the ground.
Despite these broadly positive signals, not all indicators pointed upward. China's unemployment rate edged higher to 5.3% in January–February, up from 5.1% the previous month, raising questions about the labor market's ability to keep pace with broader economic gains.
While the data paints an optimistic picture of China's near-term economic trajectory, analysts caution that sustaining consumer momentum beyond seasonal holiday-driven spending remains a key challenge. The durability of this recovery — particularly in domestic demand — will be closely watched in the months ahead.
