China: Decline in retail sales softens in May
Retail sales dropped 6.7% year on year in May (April: -11.1% yoy). Looking at subsectors, vehicle, catering, clothing and jewelry sales continued to suffer sharp falls. In contrast, food and drink sales rose.
On a seasonally-adjusted monthly basis, retail sales were broadly flat in May (April: -0.7% mom). The slight improvement in retail sales dynamics in May relative to April was linked to the loosening of Covid-19 restrictions in some areas during the month.