PBOC MPC met Sept. 19 (Q3, 114th meeting) and directed large banks to serve as the main providers of credit to the real economy, urged small banks to focus on core businesses and called for stronger bank capital. The committee said authorities will deploy and refine structural monetary-policy tools, intensify targeted financial support for expanding domestic demand, technological innovation, small and micro enterprises and construction of six major networks, and continue support for private-sect

World Steel Association: August 2026 steel production — China 74.61 mln tonnes, down 3.7% YoY; India 14.77 mln t, up 4.6% YoY; United States 7.30 mln t, up 3.0% YoY; Japan 6.66 mln t, up 0.4% YoY; Russia 5.50 mln t, down 0.3% YoY; South Korea 5.35 mln t, up 2.6% YoY; Turkey 3.38 mln t, down 0.4% YoY; Vietnam 2.70 mln t, up 36.4% YoY; Brazil 2.69 mln t, down 6.2% YoY; Germany 2.59 mln t, up 1.7% YoY.

Sept 24 — Doubao PR head Liu Xing said reports that the company conducted mass layoffs or halved its dialogue/Session team are false; the move was an internal reallocation of duties. Liu said portions of the general Session team’s functions were moved to Doubao’s trading and work teams and staff transferred with the functions; many continue prior work, including trading-related tasks to optimise trading dialogue experience. The Session team has fewer than 50 staff; the reorganisation affected 11 people and 3 have left. Liu said claims that Doubao, “used by 200 million people,” had carried out layoffs and that the dialogue team was “cut in half” are inaccurate.