China: Retail sales growth falls to over one-year low in December
Retail sales grew 1.7% year-on-year in December (November: +3.9% yoy). December’s result marked the worst reading since August 2020.
On a monthly basis, retail sales dropped 0.2% in seasonally-adjusted terms in December, contrasting November’s 0.1% expansion and marking the worst result since July. Meanwhile, annual average retail sales growth fell to 14.2% in December (November: +14.4%), signaling a worsening trend in the retail trade sector. The disappointing December data was likely linked to renewed Covid-19 flare-ups domestically, which led to tighter restrictions—including the strict lockdown of the city of Xi’an—and will have dented confidence.