China's 618 Festival Online Sales Growth Drop to 4% in 2023

AI Summary

During China's 618 shopping festival from May 13 to June 18, total online sales grew by 4%, a significant decrease from the 15.2% reported last year, according to retail data firm Syntun. This sluggish growth highlights ongoing consumer spending challenges in China, even as sectors like exports and technology show stronger performance. Retail sales fell 0.6% in May year-over-year, marking the first decline since 2022. Goldman Sachs revised its second-quarter GDP growth estimate to 4.5%, slightly down from 4.7%, emphasizing a widening gap between high-tech and consumer sectors.