China's Industrial Profits Bounce Back Can it Last

• China's industrial profits rose 0.6% in 2025, ending three years of decline, fueled by policy interventions and overseas growth.
• Significant disparities exist across industries, with mining profits falling while manufacturing and utilities saw gains.
• Government initiatives to curb aggressive price competition and boost domestic consumption are crucial for sustained recovery.
• New growth sectors like equipment and high-tech manufacturing are driving profit increases, but external economic factors remain a challenge.

The Great Profit Comeback Kind Of

Okay, chat, so China's industrial profits are apparently bouncing back. After three years of what sounds like an economic version of my internet connection during a Valorant match (aka, constantly buffering), they've managed a 0.6% increase in 2025. I mean, 0.6% is like, barely a win, right? It's like trying to clutch a round with 1 HP left. Still, it's something. Apparently, it's all thanks to the government cracking down on price wars, which I guess is their version of banning stream snipers, and companies finally realizing there's a world outside of China. So, good for them, I guess. "Is this real life"? I'm not entirely sure, but the numbers are there.

Policy Intervention or Economic Miracle?

So, what's the secret sauce? Apparently, the Chinese government decided to step in and stop companies from undercutting each other's prices into oblivion. It's like telling everyone in a battle royale to stop thirsting for kills and play the objective. According to some economist named Tianchen Xu, this, plus companies venturing into the great unknown of overseas markets, is what turned things around. It makes you wonder if a little 'anti-involution' magic could fix the streaming meta too. Speaking of economic turnarounds and policy interventions, have you seen the latest on Eli Lilly's Treasure Chest Overflows Weight Loss Drug Boom? Talk about a different kind of economic boom, fueled by… well, you know.

Winners, Losers, and Sectors Doing the Cha-Cha

But hold up, not everyone's popping champagne. It turns out there's a "high level of divergence" across industries. Some sectors are vibing, while others are straight-up malding. Mining? Down 26.2%. Ouch. Meanwhile, manufacturing and utilities are doing the cha-cha with 5% and 9.4% increases, respectively. And get this, ferrous metal smelting (whatever that is) is up 22.6%. It's like the economic version of my friends' elo spread in League – wildly inconsistent. Someone tell me why coal mining is down 41.8%, what's going on with the climate change is real thing?

State-Owned vs. Foreign-Funded: The Eternal Battle

And because everything's a competition, even in economics, state-owned enterprises saw profits decline by 3.9%, while foreign-funded businesses (including those from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan) saw a 4.2% increase. It's like the streaming wars all over again, but with balance sheets instead of subscriber counts. So, who's winning? Well, it depends on who you ask, really.

High-Tech to the Rescue

But wait, there's hope. Yu Weining from the NBS says the rebound is thanks to new growth drivers like equipment and high-tech manufacturing. Apparently, railway, shipbuilding, aerospace, and electronics are all posting double-digit profit growth. And get this – smart consumer electronics are up 48%, with unmanned aerial devices (aka drones) and intelligent in-car appliances going absolutely bonkers with gains of 102% and 88.8%, respectively. So, basically, if you're in the drone or smart car business in China, you're probably feeling pretty good right now. This is like when i get gifted 1000 subs on Twitch, great but not sustainable.

The Road Ahead: More Speed Bumps or Smooth Sailing?

But before we get too excited, Yu also acknowledges that some firms are still facing challenges, blaming it on "changes in the external environment". Basically, the world is complicated, and economics even more so. And according to some other economist named Lynn Song, it'll take time for Beijing's 'anti-involution' push to really make a difference. So, what does this all mean? Well, China's economy is like a stream – constantly flowing, sometimes turbulent, always changing. Whether this profit increase is a fluke or the start of a real recovery remains to be seen. But one thing's for sure: it's going to be interesting to watch. Now, back to streaming! "I'm baby!"