Lardy: China's downturn not as bad as most think

China is facing a severe economic downturn, with record youth unemployment, a slumping housing market, stagnant spending, and deflation, which has led to a sense of despair and reluctance to spend among consumers and business owners, potentially fueling a dangerous cycle.

China's economy, which has been a model of growth for the past 40 years, is facing deep distress and its long era of rapid economic expansion may be coming to an end, marked by slow growth, unfavorable demographics, and a growing divide with the US and its allies, according to the Wall Street Journal.

China's real estate market is experiencing a significant downturn, causing major developers to face massive losses and mounting debts, which is impacting the country's economy and global growth.

China's economic slump is worsening due to the prolonged property crisis, with missed payments on investment products by a major trust company and a fall in home prices adding to concerns.

China's weak economy, including an unstable property market and weak consumer demand, is posing risks to global markets and economies like the US, according to experts.

An economic crisis in China is unlikely to have a major impact on the US due to limited exposure in terms of investments and trade, and it may even benefit the US by lowering inflation, according to economist Paul Krugman.

China's economic slowdown, marked by falling consumer prices, a deepening real estate crisis, and a slump in exports, has alarmed international leaders and investors, causing Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index to fall into a bear market and prompting major investment banks to downgrade their growth forecasts for China below 5%.

The risks of China's economic slowdown have not been factored into the markets yet, according to Insigneo Chief Investment Officer Ahmed Riesgo, who believes that the crisis of confidence in China's economy will soon become a major global risk.

China's economy is facing challenges with slowing growth, rising debt, tumbling stock markets, and a property sector crisis, and some analysts believe that heavy-handed government intervention and a lack of confidence are underlying causes that cannot be easily fixed. However, others argue that China's problems are solvable and that it remains a superpower despite its considerable problems.

China's economy is struggling and facing a lurching from one economic challenge to the next due to failures in economic policy and the centralization of power under President Xi Jinping, which is causing bad decision-making and a decline in living standards.

China's unexpected economic slowdown, driven by excessive investment in the property sector and local government spending, is leading experts to question whether a collapse is imminent, although they believe a sudden collapse is unlikely due to China's controlled financial system; however, the slowdown will have implications for global growth and emerging markets, particularly if the U.S. enters a recession next year.

China's current property crisis is not as severe as the 2008 Lehman Brothers collapse, according to the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research (TIER).

China's economic slowdown is worrisome for global markets as it is one of the largest buyers of commodities.

China's economic model, driven by industrialization and exports, is showing weaknesses with an imbalanced economy, low demand, slumping trade, and a struggling property sector, highlighting the need for structural reforms to boost domestic consumption and confidence.

China's economic slowdown is causing alarm across the world, as it is expected to have a negative impact on global economic growth, leading to reduced imports and trade, falling commodity prices, a deflationary effect on global goods prices, and a decline in tourism and luxury spending.

A potential economic downturn in China may have implications for other countries, but the impact on the United States is expected to be minor due to limited exposure to China's economy.

Many ordinary Chinese are experiencing a widespread economic slowdown characterized by pessimism and resignation, despite Beijing's attempts to downplay concerns and project a positive narrative.

China's economy will struggle with low growth under 5% through 2024, leading to a "structural hard landing" due to tight monetary policy, disappointing economic reopening, and challenges in real estate and stock markets, according to TS Lombard strategists.

China's economy is portrayed as irrecoverably declining in the eyes of Western mainstream media.

China's economic slowdown, driven by a debt-ridden and overbuilt property sector, is not expected to have a significant impact on the global economy or US exports, although a prolonged downturn could have broader consequences. While companies like elevator maker Otis will feel the effects, China's reduced growth is unlikely to be contagious beyond its borders.

China's economy has faced numerous challenges in 2023, including deflation and a property crisis, but another significant threat is the increasing number of wealthy individuals leaving the country, contributing to a brain drain.

China's economic boom, once seen as a miracle, now appears to be a mirage due to failed reforms, an outdated reliance on old economic models, and a growing debt burden, raising concerns about the nation's economic future and the potential for a financial crisis.

The prospect of a prolonged economic slump in China poses a serious threat to global growth, potentially changing fundamental aspects of the global economy, affecting debt markets and supply chains, and impacting emerging markets and the United States.

China's economy is showing signs of slowing down, including a decrease in GDP growth rate, declining exports, deflationary consumer price index, high youth unemployment, a weakening yuan, and a decrease in new loans, which could have global implications.

China's economic growth has slowed but has not collapsed, and while there are concerns about financial risks and a potential property crisis, there are also bright spots such as the growth of the new energy and technology sectors that could boost the economy.

China's foreign ministry rejects claims from the West that its economy is faltering, stating that the country's economy is resilient and has not collapsed.

Despite economists giving the all-clear on a recession, there are still several red flags suggesting a downturn may be imminent, including an uncertain economic outlook, declining consumer confidence, maxed out credit cards, tightening credit conditions, maturing corporate debt, a manufacturing slump, global economic challenges, an inverted yield curve, and sticky inflation.

China's government is downplaying its economic crisis by promoting positive narratives, while social media campaigns and state-run newspapers attack Western media outlets for biased reporting; however, reports suggest that the property sector downturn is causing significant ramifications, and growth projections for China have been downgraded by major banks.

China's macroeconomic challenges, including deflationary pressures, yuan depreciation, and a struggling property sector, could have broader implications beyond its borders, impacting global metal exporters, trade deals, and global inflation; however, investing in China's stocks may offer compelling valuations despite the current downturn.

China's stock market has slumped due to worrying economic data including falling prices, missed expectations in retail sales and industrial production, and plunging real estate investment, leading analysts to express concerns about an impending downward spiral in the Chinese economy.

China's economic data for August shows a mixed picture, with retail sales and production on the rise, property investment declining, and the urban jobless rate ticking downward, leading experts to believe that while there may be modest improvements in growth, a strong recovery is still unlikely.

Pessimism among U.S. businesses operating in China is on the rise, with a record low percentage of firms optimistic about their five-year outlook, according to a survey by the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, driven by concerns over geopolitics and a slowing economy.

China's economic model is in decline and will have a significant impact on global markets, according to veteran investor David Roche, who predicts long-term struggles for manufacturing-based economies and warns of potential social unrest and geopolitical problems.

The outlook of U.S. companies on China's markets in the next five years has hit a record low due to factors such as political tensions, tariffs, slow Covid recovery, and issues in the real estate market; however, complete decoupling between the two economies is unlikely.

US business confidence in China is being drained by geopolitical tensions and an economic slowdown, with only 52% of American firms optimistic about their five-year China business outlook, according to a study by the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai.

China's economic woes may not be catastrophic as its policymakers and the country's vast resources, coupled with its massive economy and global interconnectedness, offer potential for recovery despite mounting financial and geopolitical pressures.