China industrial profits rise 14.4% in September amid AI demand
China's industrial profits shot up 14.4% in September 2026, the biggest leap since June, mostly thanks to the surging demand for AI manufacturing, even though the local market stayed pretty sluggish.
Profits from January to September were up 15.5%, just a tad below last year's pace, showing a solid rebound helped by Beijing's efforts to curb rampant price wars across sectors and the global excitement around AI.
China growth meets targets, stimulus paused
Industries like mining and chipmaking saw major gains, boosted by higher prices linked to the conflict in Iran, though those same costs made things tougher for manufacturers further down the line.
High-tech sectors like AI and robotics outperformed more traditional areas such as clothing or cars.
Still, people at home aren't spending much: retail sales only ticked up 1.1% last month.
China's economy grew 4.5% in the third quarter (meeting targets), but with worries about local debt, leaders are holding off on new stimulus, even as strong industrial profits offer some good news amid ongoing challenges.