Digital technology has enabled more consumer formats to flourish across China, allowing consumers to enjoy a richer and more diverse supply of products and services through a simple touch on the screen.
In southwest China's Guizhou Province, special agricultural products including bamboo shoots, spicy dried peppers, sweet and sour pickled fish are on hot sale in various online livestream rooms.
In Tiantai Town, Chishui City, local authorities collaborated with a university to establish the first local rural revitalization research and practice base, where artificial intelligence technology is being explored to boost e-commerce livestreaming.
"I hope that through AI technology, we can reduce the operating costs of our livestream rooms, extend the time of livestreams, bring in more traffic, and help our villagers sell more agricultural products," said Dai Xiaoyong, Party secretary of Xinghong Village.
Meanwhile in urban area, the integration of online and offline shopping has also allowed many shopping centers to expand new ways of sales promotion.
In Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, many stores in shopping malls have opened livestream sessions, allowing customers to learn about their latest products without leaving home. Some malls have also launched new mobile apps, through which shoppers can place orders for delivery and make appointments for pickup, all in one stop on the phone.
"Now customers can learn about products and place orders online while enjoying our store services at the same time. This mode can also meet the needs of customers tight on time who just want to grab and go. It's more convenient for them," said Wang Dan, a salesperson.
Digital technology empowers online shopping, new consumption modes in China
Digital technology empowers online shopping, new consumption modes in China
China's stock market demonstrated robust performance in 2025 with new records in various sectors.
Against the backdrop of global liquidity easing and evolving industrial policies, the A-share market experienced a landmark year. Multiple key metrics - including total market capitalization, trading volume, as well as margin trading and short selling balances - achieved historic breakthroughs, demonstrating remarkable vitality and resilience.
In terms of overall performance, as of Dec. 31, 2025, the total market capitalization of A-shares reached approximately 118.91 trillion yuan, marking a net increase of 25.30 trillion yuan from the year's opening level of 93.61 trillion yuan. This represents a growth rate of 27.03 percent, according to data from financial information provider Wind.
In 2025, major A-share indices extended their annual gains compared to 2024.
On Dec. 31, 2025, the Shanghai Composite Index stood at 3,968.84 points, marking an annual increase of 18.41 percent - the largest annual gain since 2020. The Shenzhen Component Index rose 29.87 percent for the year, while the ChiNext Index surged 49.57 percent. The Beijing Stock Exchange 50 Index recorded an annual gain of 38.80 percent, while the STAR Market 50 Index rose 35.92 percent for the year.
As major indices rose, market trading activity intensified. Throughout 2025, the A-share market recorded a total trading value of approximately 420 trillion yuan, marking a growth of over 60 percent compared to the previous year and nearly doubling the 2023 annual value. It also marked the first time in history that the annual trading value surpassed the 400 trillion yuan threshold.
The margin trading and short selling scale in the A-share market expanded rapidly in 2025. As of the year end, the outstanding margin trading and short selling balance in the A-share market increased by 690.7 billion yuan during the year to reach 2.5 trillion yuan, setting a new historical high.
Notably, the growth in the balance was primarily driven by the increase in the financing balance. Although the short selling balance also increased in 2025, its cumulative growth for the year was less than 10 billion yuan, with the absolute value of the short selling balance remaining at a low level in recent years.
As market sentiment continued to heat up, major sectors in the A-share market saw increases. Key industry sectors rose to varying degrees, with over half posting annual increases exceeding 30 percent.
Boosted by sharp rises in precious metal prices, the nonferrous metals sector delivered standout performance throughout 2025. Defense and military, telecommunications, machinery and equipment, automotive, power equipment, and electronics sectors also ranked among the top annual gainers. Sectors like food and beverages, coal, and banking showed relatively weaker annual performance but still managed modest gains.
Against the backdrop of a broad market rally, individual stocks also rose, with many delivering standout performances. Data indicates that over 4,200 A-shares saw price increases in 2025, accounting for more than three-quarters of the total. Specifically, after excluding newly listed stocks, over 500 A-shares still doubled in value, with more than 100 stocks achieving annual gains exceeding 200 percent.
China's stock market demonstrates strong performance with multiple new records in 2025
