China’s manufacturing sector grew more slowly than finance for the first time in years, as capital raising via equity issuance supported financial activity during a quarter marked by a surprise economic rebound. GDP rose 5% in Q1, while finance and manufacturing grew 6.5% and 6.3% respectively, both outpacing the broader economy. Consumer-facing sectors such as hotels and catering lagged, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Finance, spanning banking, insurance, and securities, reache

China’s manufacturing sector grew more slowly than finance for the first time in years, as capital raising via equity issuance supported financial activity during a quarter marked by a surprise economic rebound. GDP rose 5% in Q1, while finance and manufacturing grew 6.5% and 6.3% respectively, both outpacing the broader economy. Consumer-facing sectors such as hotels and catering lagged, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Finance, spanning banking, insurance, and securities, reached a post-pandemic high driven by IPOs and strong trading activity. China’s equity market also ranked among global top performers amid war-driven safe-haven demand and resilience to oil shocks.