A record trade deficit in China
China's growth confirms its moderation. All indicators earlier this year indicate a general slowdown given the Chinese engine. This weekend, China Customs have announced for the February trade deficit of $ 31.5 billion. The most since 1989, according to figures from Bloomberg.
China's demand for foreign goods, raw materials whose economy is greedy, in particular, continued to grow, while the two main trade partners of Beijing, the European Union and the United States, slowing their orders in a difficult economic environment on both sides of the Atlantic. Exports then rose only 6.9% on the first two months of the year, year on year, against 13.4% in December, while imports grew by 7.7% at the same time, against 11 , 8% in December.
China's trade balance continues to play a little yo-yo earlier this year, with the effect of Chinese New Year festivities, which saw disengage almost all plants of the country. But last week, Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming announced already that keep foreign trade growth to 10% as in the past would ask "hard efforts".
Inflation sharply down
For it is all Chinese machine out of steam. By last weekend, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that industrial production grew by 11.4% over January and February, its lowest level in two and a half years, and retail sales of 14.7 %.
Inflation has never been so low in twenty months. The index of consumer prices rose only 3.2% over one year against 5.4% for the whole of 2011. A figure lower than expected, but also below the target the government set itself for 2012 to 4%. This price moderation should breathe a sigh of relief to more than a senior party. She had become, last year, a major concern of the central government, fearing that it would nourish the social scolds. Reassured, the Chinese leaders could now ease off on their monetary policy and the exchange rate of the yuan.
But the pause early this year by China's growth is primarily seasonal, with the parenthesis Chinese New Year, the central government may wish to wait for confirmation of this curbing of its economy before flowing again . The specter of inflation, which can leave at any moment, has not deserted the minds of Beijing.
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