Topic #1: China’s economic data misses expectation China Industrial Production (Source: TRADINGECONOMICS.COM) What happened? China’s economic data for April fell short of expectations, highlighting the country’s uneven path to recovery from the impact of stringent Covid-19 restrictions. Industrial production in April grew by 5.6% year-on-year, lower than the 10.9% predicted by economists surveyed by Reuters. Additionally, retail sales rose by 18.4%, failing to meet the expected surge of 21%. Fixed asset investment also fell short, increasing by 4.7% compared to the anticipated 5.5%. Moreover, the urban unemployment rate for young individuals aged 16-24 in China hit a record high of 20%, indicating a significant increase in youth unemployment. This surge can be attributed to the gradual integration of millions of rural migrants into the services sector, which has impacted the overall urban unemployment rate. In April, the overall urban unemployment rate slightly decreased to 5.2% compared to 5.3% in March. Although there has been a resurgence in shoppers and diners frequenting malls and restaurants, China’s economic...