Resource Library

China

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INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT: China’s New Open Door: The E-Commerce Boom

By Shehzad Qazi | Insights | Series II | No. 6 | September 2014

China is already the world’s largest retail market and its e-commerce is booming. E-tailers now command soaring sales, better pricing, and a stronger online presence compared to their brick-and-mortar cousins. Learn more about China’s retail of e-tailing in China in our exclusive report.

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China Beige Book Shows Economy Stuck in Low Gear

Bloomberg | September 22, 2014

China’s economy remained stuck in “low gear” this quarter, with struggling retail and residential real-estate industries countering improvements in manufacturing and transportation, a private survey showed. Growth in investment slowed…

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This China Slowdown Is Different

By Leland R. Miller and Craig Charney | The Wall Street Journal | July 14, 2014

In a recent Wall Street Journal article, China Beige Book authors Leland Miller and Craig Charney assert that Chinese capital expenditure is the weakest it has been in over a decade and may indicate a continued investment downshift that will be difficult to reverse. This slowdown is not merely a result of artificially-constrained investments but also a slowdown in demand and consumption.

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Survey Suggests China May Finally Be Getting the Message on Debt

By Richard Silk | The Wall Street Journal | June 23, 2014

Only 19% of companies reported accessing credit during the second quarter of the year, down from 30% a year ago, according to the China Beige Book, a private-sector polling organization. That’s despite a drop in the average interest rate on new loans. Analysts’ concerns that China’s economy relies too much on debt may turn out to be true.

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China Beige Book Says Economy Slowing

Bloomberg | March 20, 2014

This article discusses the results of the China Beige Book Survey (CBB) for the 1st quarter of 2014 and notes that China’s economy slowed in quarter 1, adding to the signs that Chinese Premier Li Keqiang may face difficulties reaching a 7.5% growth expansion target for 2104 without stimulus.

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China’s Economy Continues to Improve on Manufacturing

The Wall Street Journal | December 26, 2013

China’s stronger manufacturing and real estate sectors indicate a recovery, but there are some concerns on whether this is sustainable. The rise in inventory at manufacturing and mining firms is an issue. Major regional differences in retail growth were also discovered.

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THE MISREADING OF CHINA’S GROWTH DATA

By Leland R. Miller and Craig Charney | The Wall Street Journal | October 24, 2013

Even if not technically inaccurate, Beijing’s GDP numbers mislead investors into a misguided optimism over an economy slowing down. China Beige Book’s survey, contrary to official data, finds a mild growth slowdown. This divergence in growth stories reveals critical information before the Third Plenum economic conference.

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How a Beige Book Could Shed Light on China’s Shadow Economy

By Dan Kedmey | Time Magazine | August 5, 2013

A lingering doubt hangs over ever rosy economic data on Chinese growth, as provided by their National Bureau of Statistics. Outdated Soviet-era growth measures and even some hints of embellishing figures have many longing for accurate data. Enter the China Beige Book, the most comprehensive and independent survey ever conducted on national, regional, and sectoral economic conditions in the People’s Republic of China.

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THE CHINESE CASH CRUNCH IS NO SURPRISE

By Leland R. Miller and Craig Charney | The Wall Street Journal | June 13, 2013

For three consecutive quarters, firms have been borrowing less and paying higher rates in China. This is another signal that China has endured an overall tightening in credit this year. Investors should be careful in reading China’s official data, which pictures a rather rosy scenario.

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Retailers, Inland Regions Drive China Economy in Q1 – Beige Book Survey

Reuters | March 27, 2013 | 2 pages

This Reuters article discusses the findings and data collection methodology of the China Beige Book (CBB).CBB reports strong revenue growth in the retail sector among signs of incoming uncertainties. Its respondents cover businesses of every size from the micro-level – employing up to 19 staff – to large firms with more than 500 employees.

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Chinese Puzzle

By Nicholas Schmidle | The New Yorker | February 25, 2013 | 5 pages

This New Yorker article discusses the problems with regards to economic statistics and analysis on China provided by the Chinese government and potential solutions to this problem. China Beige Book provides an alternative way in measuring China’s economic situations. It believes in “the answer to better Chinese analysis is better data”.

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What is Driving China’s Economy?

By Leland Miller | video | January 18, 2013

In this Fox Business interview, China Beige Book (CBB) President Leland Miller discusses the findings of the CBB. It confirms official statistics that Chinese economic growth is rebounding. Mr. Miller also talks about the real driver behind China’ economy.

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Inside China’s Black Box of Statistics

By Rana Foroohar | Time Magazine | September 3, 2012 | 5 pages

This Time Magazine article discusses the findings of the recently released China Beige Book (CBB). The slowdown we’re seeing in China isn’t a crash landing, but could instead be the beginning of a much hoped-for rebalancing of the Chinese economy. However, not only is it tough to tell whether China is really growing, but official figures give us little sense of where growth is really coming from. Rather than rely on official nationwide data, CBB International divides the country into eight regions and interviews 150-plus C-suite Chinese executives in each region around the country about the state of business. The results are illuminating.

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New ‘China Beige Book’ Sees Growth Rebounding

By Prabha Natarajan | The Wall Street Journal | August 14, 2012 | 3 pages

This Wall Street Journal article discusses the findings of the China Beige Book (CBB). In its second China Beige Book released last month to clients, the report noted there were signs of a rebound largely fueled by increased retail sales, but problems continue to persist in industries like mining and minerals. While metro regions continued to see the strongest surges in retail spending, there were also sizeable spending increases in the central and northern regions. There are also signs of government stimulus in addition to monetary easing throughout the economy, policies geared to boost consumer spending, including purchases of homes and cars, and consumer spending and services are picking up the slack in exports and some manufacturing sectors.