China’s industrial profits rose 15.7% year-on-year to CNY 5.27 trillion in the first eight months of 2026, slowing from a 17.6% surge in the January-July period. Profits at state-owned enterprises increased 10.3% to CNY 1.67 trillion, while joint-stock companies posted a stronger 20.4% gain to CNY 4.07 trillion. Meanwhile, private firms posted a 10.4% rise in profits to CNY 1.32 trillion. By sector, mining remained the main driver, with profits surging 35.1%, followed by manufacturing (17.4%). In contrast, utilities posted a 12.0% drop. By industry, the strongest gains were recorded in computer, communication and other electronic equipment (110%), non-ferrous metal smelting and rolling (82.9%), coal mining and washing industry (51.6%), and chemicals (51.0%). In August alone, industrial profits grew 4.2% from a year earlier, sharply easing from July's 11.2% jump.