26 Mar 2026
More recent developments
July 13, 2026
China bans helium exports to protect domestic supply
On July 10, the commerce ministry (MofCom) imposed a “temporary export ban” on helium, effective immediately. The two-sentence announcement provided no end date. Some context: China imports more than 85% of its helium – an essential input for semiconductor production.… Read More »
July 13, 2026
Domestic auto sales collapse continues in June
Domestic auto sales fell 23.2% y/y in June – the seventh consecutive month of double-digit declines (CPCA). Internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle sales again accounted for most of the decline, falling 39% y/y to just 600,000 units – a multi-decade… Read More »
July 13, 2026
Beijing cracks down on credit rating inflation
Beijing is cracking down on inflated AAA bond ratings, triggering a wave of downgrades and terminated ratings. ICYDK: In China, almost all corporate bonds are rated investment grade, and most of those are AAA rated. Regulators began targeting ratings inflation… Read More »