Industrial production saw a 2.1% year-on-year decline in the province's designated-size enterprises during the first eight months of 2026, although high-tech manufacturing expanded by 3.3%. By sector, mining output fell 8.8%, manufacturing dropped 1.1%, and utilities including electricity, heat, gas, and water slipped 0.5%.

State-controlled enterprises recorded a 1.8% decrease, private firms fell 2.7%, while collective enterprises jumped 23.7%. Joint-stock companies dipped 0.4%, and foreign-invested firms including those from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan declined 7.6%. Among 40 major industrial categories, exactly half posted growth. Notably, railway, ship, aerospace, and other transport equipment manufacturing surged 44.5%, rubber and plastics products rose 22.2%, agricultural food processing climbed 11.4%, general equipment manufacturing grew 7.3%, and computers, communications, and other electronic equipment advanced 5.6%. Chemical raw materials and products were up 3.8%, while petroleum, coal, and other fuel processing fell 3.3%, and automobile manufacturing dropped 15.4%.

In terms of output, civil steel ships skyrocketed 2.8 times, railway locomotives rose 59.5%, integrated circuits grew 36.2%, rolling bearings climbed 23.1%, transformers increased 13.7%, furniture production rose 10.1%, wood-based panels gained 10.0%, rubber tires went up 7.4%, sulfuric acid (100% basis) increased 7.1%, flat glass grew 3.9%, ethylene rose 3.4%, and chemical pharmaceutical raw materials expanded 2.0%. Conversely, crude oil processing fell 5.2%, steel output dropped 8.6%, and automobile production declined 15.5%, though new energy vehicles (NEVs) bucked the trend with a 22.2% increase.

Fixed asset investment in the province contracted 32.7% year-on-year in the first eight months. Primary industry investment fell 22.8%, secondary industry dropped 32.1%, and tertiary industry declined 33.9%. Within industrial sectors, computers, communications, and other electronic equipment manufacturing investment expanded 34.9%, non-ferrous metal mining and dressing jumped 32.4%, textiles, apparel, and accessories investment surged 57.0%, and railway, ship, aerospace, and other transport equipment manufacturing rose 3.7%. Infrastructure investment slid 33.8%, manufacturing investment fell 31.6%, and real estate development investment dropped 33.6%.

Retail sales reached 679.08 billion yuan, down 1.2% year-on-year, with the decline narrowing by 0.6 percentage points from the first half. Among enterprises above designated size, daily necessities showed stable growth: beverages rose 6.2%, grain and oil foods increased 4.2%, and clothing, footwear, hats, textiles, and knitwear grew 3.3%. Green and smart products performed well, with NEV retail sales up 18.6% and smartphones climbing 13.7%. Upgraded goods also accelerated, including sports and entertainment items up 24.4%, cosmetics up 9.8%, communication equipment up 12.0%, and cultural and office supplies up 12.1%. However, oil and vehicle sales declined: petroleum and related products fell 4.3%, while automobiles dropped 13.6%.

According to customs statistics, total goods imports and exports reached 527.40 billion yuan in the first eight months, up 5.1% year-on-year. Exports rose 13.4% to 303.58 billion yuan, while imports decreased 4.5% to 223.82 billion yuan. Agricultural exports climbed 14.2% to 24.63 billion yuan. Mechanical and electrical products grew 18.7% to 161.06 billion yuan, including ships soaring 1.9 times to 43.19 billion yuan, electronic components up 2.7% to 18.11 billion yuan, electrical equipment rising 8.0% to 14.08 billion yuan, auto parts increasing 10.0% to 10.77 billion yuan, and automobiles (including chassis) up 11.6% to 6.82 billion yuan. High-tech product exports dipped 0.4% to 34.21 billion yuan, with electronic technology products up 3.3% to 17.93 billion yuan.

The consumer price index (CPI) rose 1.1% year-on-year, with urban prices up 1.1% and rural prices up 0.6%. By category, food, tobacco, alcohol, and dining out prices were flat from a year ago, clothing rose 0.5%, housing edged down 0.1%, household goods and services increased 0.9%, transportation and communication up 2.0%, education, culture, and entertainment up 0.7%, healthcare up 1.3%, and other goods and services surged 13.9%. The producer price index (PPI) increased 1.4%, while the industrial producer purchase price index (IPI) rose 1.5%.

Source: Provincial Bureau of Statistics