Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free
Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.
Chinese equities hit their highest level this year, defying a decline in the US stock market that pushed it into correction territory overnight amid hopes of further policy support for consumption in Asia’s largest economy.
Chinese authorities announced late on Thursday that they would hold a press conference on “boosting consumption” on Monday. This helped push the country’s CSI 300 benchmark 2.4 per cent higher. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index climbed 2.2 per cent.
The CSI 300 is up 1.8 per cent year to date and the Hang Seng has gained 19.4 per cent since the start of the year, while Wall Street’s S&P 500 is down 6.1 per cent.
Gains were concentrated in stocks with exposure to China’s massive consumer base. Shares in drinks company Kweichow Moutai rose 5.9 per cent, while shares in electric vehicle maker BYD climbed 6.1 per cent. CATL, the world’s largest EV battery maker, rose 3.5 per cent.
“Investors are still pretty excited about the development” of artificial intelligence in China, said Jason Lui, head of Asia-Pacific equities and derivatives strategy at BNP Paribas. “But we have yet to see support for the consumption side of things. [This announcement] seems to be filling the gap.”
China’s economy has slowed in recent years, with sluggish consumption reflected in persistently low inflation figures. Many economists have urged Beijing to do more to support the country’s consumers.
Greater clarity on the role central government would play in supporting domestic consumption “would be helpful” for investors, said Lui, as local governments in China have limited fiscal space to finance consumption.
The press conference on Monday will include officials from the central bank, finance ministry, commerce ministry and the National Development and Reform Commission, China’s economic planning agency.
Stocks related to childcare also leapt on Friday after the government of Hohhot, capital of Inner Mongolia in northern China, said it would provide cash subsidies for new parents. The benefits would increase as families expand, ranging from Rmb10,000 ($1,400) for a first child to Rmb10,000 a year for 10 years for a third child.
The announcement followed the annual meetings last week of China’s rubber-stamp parliament and top policy advisory body — known as the “two sessions” — where policymakers emphasised the need to increase China’s birth rate and set out a growth target of “around 5 per cent” for 2025. China’s population has declined for the past three years.
Shares in Feihe, a Hong Kong-listed infant milk formula company, soared 15.7 per cent on Friday, while mainland-listed peer Beingmate and Aiyingshi, which sells baby and maternal products, hit the 10 per cent limit. Yili, a Hohhot-based dairy company, jumped 8.6 per cent.
US stocks on Thursday entered correction territory after President Donald Trump’s latest tariff threats roiled markets and threatened to spark a wider global trade conflict.
The dollar rose 0.2 per cent against a basket of trading partners’ currencies on Friday, while Japan’s yen slide 0.6 per cent to ¥148.66 a dollar.
Gold was flat while prices for Brent crude, the international oil benchmark, gained 0.9 per cent to $70.47 a barrel.
Additional reporting by Wang Xueqiao in Shanghai
This article was originally published on the FT website. To read more articles like this, sign up for the Editor’s Digest newsletter for free. Stay informed about the latest trends in the financial markets and get exclusive insights from industry experts. Subscribe now to unlock a world of valuable information.
