China industrial output up 5.3% in Jan-Aug, but investment and retail lag
China's value-added industrial output rose 5.3% year-on-year in the first eight months of 2026, with August output up 5.2%, beating expectations. The strength in manufacturing contrasts with a 7.2% fall in fixed-asset investment and retail sales growth of just 0.4% in August, leaving the recovery uneven. Beijing is expected to keep relying on fiscal support and consumption measures.