China’s Fixed Asset Investment Hits 28.8 Trillion Yuan in 7 Months Chemical Sector Drops 4.7 Percent as Regional Gaps Widen

China’s fixed asset investment (excluding rural households) reached a staggering 28.82 trillion yuan from January to July, up 1.6% year-on-year, according to new data from the National Bureau of Statistics. The chemical raw materials and products industry saw a sharp 4.7% decline, signaling pressure in this sector.

Investment in the primary industry hit 564.6 billion yuan, up 5.6%, while the secondary industry surged 8.9% to 10.45 trillion yuan. The tertiary industry, however, slipped 2.3% to 17.81 trillion yuan. Industrial investment recorded a robust 9.0% increase, with manufacturing up 6.2%, and the utilities sector (power, heat, gas, water) posting a remarkable 21.5% jump.

Infrastructure investment (excluding utilities) grew 3.2%. Notably, water transport soared 18.9%, water management rose 12.6%, and railway investment climbed 5.9%.

Regionally, investment fell 2.4% in the east and 3.0% in the northeast, but rose 3.2% in central and 3.6% in western China. By registration type, domestic firms grew 1.7%, Hong Kong/Macau/Taiwan-backed entities rose 3.5%, while foreign-funded companies saw a steep 15.7% drop.

These figures underline a shifting investment landscape, with infrastructure and utilities outperforming, but chemicals and foreign investment lagging behind.