Coronavirus Insights: China’s GDP Drops for the First Time in Decades; March Retail Sales Fall, but Pace of Decline Eases

What's Inside

As coronavirus lockdowns ease in China, we review a number of newly released economic metrics to consider the impacts of the outbreak and the shape of the recovery that is emerging:

• In the first quarter or 2020, GDP fell for the first time in decades—we look at the pace of decline.
• Retail sales continued to decline in March 2020—we review the sequential changes versus prior months and assess the changes in retail sales by sector, including food/grocery, apparel, beauty, electronics and home goods. We also look at the emerging shape of the recovery in China retail sales and consumer demand.
• Industrial production declined in March 2020—and we consider what that tells us about the likely shape of the economic recovery.

Click here to view Coresight Research’s ongoing coverage of the coronavirus outbreak.