Guangzhou retail sales boom in National Day Holiday
Retail sales of 8 major department stores in Guangzhou hit over 500 million yuan during the National Day Holidays. Revenu was up nearly 30 percent from the same period last year, with household electrical appliances, jewelry, autumn and winter clothing, and cars leading the rise. According to the Ministry of Commerce, this was partly due to a policy approved by the State Council in June this year aiming to spur domestic consumption by subsidizing the purchase of vehicles and household appliances.

Home-Purchases Drops During Golden Week
The Golden Week Holidays did not turn out to be as golden for real estate companies as was expected. In the first 7 days of October, Guangzhou saw only 832 houses sold, a dramatic decline compared to the transaction volume in September which was of 7000 houses. Information provided by property agents also shows a cold response from the market for second-hand homes.

US probe likely to 'harm' trade ties
The US Commerce Department launched an investigation on Wednesday on whether to impose anti-dumping and countervailing duties on imports of stainless steel pipes from China. Industry analysts said yesterday that the probe could escalate trade disputes between the two countries. The decision came one day after the European Union announced that it would slap five-year duties of up to 39.2 percent on steel pipe imported from China citing material injury and threat to local producers from rising Chinese imports.

Trade, climate top US-China agenda
The White House announced on Thursday that President Barack Obama's first trip to Asia as president will begin in Japan and take him to Singapore, China and the Republic of Korea. Obama will be in Beijing and Shanghai between Nov. the 15th and 18th. Chinese experts said whilst in China, President Hu Jintao will likely urge his US counterpart to abandon trade protectionism whilst Obama is expected to push China to reach a bilateral climate change agreement.