Amidst growing concerns surrounding the world's second-largest economy, the Chinese yuan finds itself teetering near the depths of its weakest performance this year.
In the recent week, the currency experienced a sharp descent of 1%, and on Monday, it suffered another 0.3% decline, positioning itself just a shade under 7.26 yuan for every US dollar. These numbers, sourced from Refinitiv, remarkably echo the nadir of 2023 it reached back in the month of June.
Tracing back its trajectory over the course of this year, the yuan has witnessed a substantial 5% depreciation. This downtrend is inextricably linked with the perceptible signs indicating a noticeable ebb in China's post-COVID economic resurgence.
Reviewing data disclosed by the official government in July, it was palpably evident that the growth rate in the second quarter conspicuously undershot the collective predictions of analysts. Adding to the overarching narrative, the most recent revelations surrounding the Consumer and Producer Price Indices underscored an even more unsettling notion – China grappling with deflation, a disconcerting state of affairs not seen in over a span of two years.
The ailing exports, a pivotal driving force in China's economic engine, compounded these concerns by plummeting at a steep 14.5% rate last month, marking the most severe decline in three years. Concurrently, China's ongoing efforts to quell a real estate predicament have proven to be an uphill battle, claiming yet another prominent victim in the previous week.
In light of mounting apprehensions, the yuan experienced its lowest value in a month, a situation exacerbated by the weighty issues stemming from China's heavily indebted real estate sector. Citing the tribulations faced by Country Garden, the Danish investment bank Saxo's strategists sounded the alarm on Monday.
The repercussions of these predicaments reverberated across the financial landscape. Shares of the real estate behemoth nosedived a staggering 17% on Friday, followed by another 10% slump on Monday. This predicament plunged the corporation into a liquidity quagmire, compelling it to issue a sobering profit warning while simultaneously suspending the trading of 11 onshore bonds.
The ripples extended to the realm of stocks as well. With investors scrutinizing the ramifications of Country Garden's distress, the prominent CSI 300 registered a 0.7% contraction, whereas Hong Kong's Hang Seng index mirrored this sentiment with a substantial 1.6% downturn on Monday.
