FX.co ★ China Retail Sales Ease to 6-Month Low

In July 2025, China's retail sales grew by 3.7% compared to the same month in the previous year. This marked a slowdown from the 4.8% growth observed in June and fell short of the market's forecast of a 4.6% rise. The July figure represented the most modest growth rate since December 2024, with several categories experiencing a deceleration. Sales of grain, oil, and food increased by 8.6%, slightly down from 8.7% in June. Purchases of clothing, shoes, hats, and textiles edged up by 1.8% from 1.9%, and sales of household appliances and audio-visual equipment grew by 28.7%, a notable decrease from 32.4%. Similarly, cultural and office supplies saw a significant drop to 13.8% from 24.4%, and furniture sales fell to 20.6% from 28.7%. Meanwhile, declines were more pronounced in sectors like petroleum and related products, decreasing by 8.3% compared to a 7.3% contraction previously observed. Sales of automobiles declined by 1.5%, down from a 4.6% increase, and building and decoration materials decreased by 0.5% from a previous rise of 1%. Retail activity on a monthly basis saw a decrease of 0.14% in July 2025, which was an improvement over the revised 0.26% decline of the prior month. Overall, for the first seven months of the year, retail trade rose by 4.8% relative to the same period in the preceding year.