China’s industrial profits fell 2.3% in 2023

Profits at China's industrial firms fell 2.3% in 2023, their second straight yearly decline, due to sluggish demand at home and abroad, adding pressure on economic growth amid a deep property slump and deflationary risks. The drop followed a 4.4% profit fall in the first 11 months from the same period a year earlier, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Saturday. China's economy expanded by 5.2% in 2023, but its post-pandemic recovery has been shaky, with a protracted housing downturn, mounting deflationary risks and slowing global growth casting clouds over the outlook for this year.