1. According to data from the US Treasury Department, China, the second largest overseas "creditor", reduced its US Treasury holdings by $11.9 billion month-on-month in October, bringing the total holding down to $760.1 billion, the lowest in over 15 years. This marks the fourth consecutive month of China's reduction in US Treasury holdings.
2. The Ministry of Commerce stated that it is working closely with relevant parties to formulate policies related to "two new" initiatives for next year. Driven by the "swap old for new" policy, sales of automobiles, home appliances, and other products have been booming, and domestic demand continues to expand. In November, retail sales of automobile-related goods increased by 6.6% year-on-year, shifting from being a drag to a boost for the growth rate of total retail sales.
3. The China Securities Journal learned that the China Securities Association has issued a notice to further strengthen the self-regulatory management of chief economists in industry institutions from six dimensions, including management responsibility of the main body, appointment norms, prior review of external statements, and reputation risk management. Chief economists can be dismissed if they repeatedly cause reputation risks due to improper words and deeds.
4. According to the Securities Daily, the pace of approvals is fast and the industries involved are wide, leading to increased activity in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and restructuring. Since the beginning of this year, a total of 106 major asset restructuring cases have been disclosed on the A-share market, exceeding the number of the same period last year. Among them, 45.28% are major asset restructuring plans disclosed since the introduction of the "Six Articles on Mergers and Acquisitions". The targets of M&A are mainly emerging industries such as biomedicine and semiconductors.
5. According to the Securities Times, since December, four mergers and acquisitions projects in the securities industry have made new progress, including "Guolian + Minsheng", and the progress speed has exceeded market expectations. Analysts are optimistic about the theme of mergers and acquisitions in the securities industry next year. Among the securities companies that are promoting mergers and acquisitions integration, the advantages of both parties are complementary, and it is expected to achieve "1+1>2" in the future.
6. According to the Securities Daily, since November, 20 listed banks have been researched by 255 institutions, with credit reserves and market valuation management measures being the key focus of these institutions. Since the beginning of this year, many small and medium-sized banks have increased their bond investment and achieved significant returns. Researchers from institutions are particularly interested in the bond investment strategies of listed banks for next year.
7. According to China Securities Journal, as of December 18, over 4,000 public funds have terminated their engagements with PwC since March, with the total audit fees for these 4,000-plus funds exceeding RMB 130 million in the first half of the year. PwC has also lost its position as the leading auditor in the fund industry. Ernst & Young, which was originally ranked second, has risen to the top position.
8. According to data from the National Energy Administration, as of the end of November, the cumulative installed capacity of power generation nationwide was approximately 3.23 billion kilowatts, representing a year-on-year increase of 14.4%. Specifically, the installed capacity of solar power generation stood at approximately 820 million kilowatts, marking a year-on-year growth of 46.7%, while the installed capacity of wind power generation reached approximately 490 million kilowatts, indicating a year-on-year increase of 19.2%.
9. According to CCTV News, in November, the price of Japanese brown rice rose by about 60% year on year, with each jin of rice equivalent to approximately RMB 9. In September, the relative transaction price of Japanese rice exceeded 20,000 yen per 60 kilograms of brown rice for the first time, setting a record high. Since then, it has broken the historical record for three consecutive months.
10.The U.S. Census Bureau stated that a surge in immigration has driven the fastest population growth in the United States since 2001. In 2024, the U.S. population increased by nearly 1% to 341 million. Among the 3.3 million new residents, about 2.8 million came from outside the United States. The number of births exceeded the number of deaths by nearly 519,000, higher than the low point during the pandemic in 2021.
