On August 27, 2012, the National Bureau of Statistics of China released statistics for China’s industries. According to the statistics, the profit for China’s national enterprises dropped 2.7% for the period of January through July, as compared to the same period in 2011. In July alone, the number dropped by 5.4 percent. This was the sixth consecutive month of cumulative negative growth. Falling iron and steel prices have led to losses for many listed companies that have published their interim reports for the first half of 2012. Maanshan Iron and Steel lost 1.9 billion yuan, Shandong Iron and Steel lost 996 million, and the Hangzhou Iron & Steel Group Company lost 107 million. Others, including the Shagang Group, saw their profits cut in half. The same occurred in coal and electricity companies where their profits went down between 10 and 14 percent in the second quarter of 2012.
Source: Caijing.com, August 29, 2012
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