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China’s economy grows 4.5 percent in Q3, beating forecasts
Al Jazeera • • business
Key Points:
- China’s GDP grew 4.5 percent in Q3 2026, surpassing analyst expectations and improving from 4.3 percent growth in Q2, driven largely by booming exports linked to artificial intelligence.
- In the first nine months of 2026, GDP increased 4.6 percent year-on-year, despite weak domestic demand and a struggling property market dampening overall growth.
- Exports surged over 16 percent in the first three quarters, reaching 23.19 billion yuan ($3.47 billion), fueled by strong demand for semiconductors and tech-related products.
- Domestic consumption showed modest gains with retail sales up 1.1 percent in September and 2.6 percent year-to-date, while industrial production rose 5.5 percent in September.
- Experts note that China’s growth remains heavily reliant on exports, with a controlled slowdown in real estate, aligning with government goals for a 4.5 to 5 percent GDP growth target in 2026.
