China's bulk commodity price index rises for six straight months

China

China's bulk commodity price index rises for six straight months

2025-11-05 10:20 Last Updated At：23:27

The index tracking the development of China's bulk commodity market climbed for a sixth consecutive month in October, with a wider gain than in September, industry data showed on Wednesday.

The figure stood at 113.2 in October, up 1.2 percent month-on-month, marking six straight months of increases, according to the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP).

The increase indicates stronger business confidence and a continued recovery in the bulk commodity market, as efforts to shore up growth have continued to take effect and global trade tensions ease, the federation said.

Among the 50 key types of products monitored by the federation, 16 saw prices rise on a monthly basis, with electrolytic copper, corrugated paper and coking coal leading the gains, up 6.9 percent, 6 percent and 6 percent, respectively, from September.

By sector, the nonferrous metals price sub-index climbed 3.5 percent month-on-month, driven by rising global demand for new energy, the usual peak production season, and supply disruptions caused by accidents at a copper mine in Indonesia and at an aluminum smelter in Iceland.

Supported by a modest rebound in the construction sector, the sub-index tracking mineral prices rose 0.7 percent month-on-month, reversing earlier weakness.

In contrast, the sub-indices tracking energy and chemical prices fell 1.3 percent and 3.1 percent, respectively, weighed down by external factors including lower international oil prices.

Experts said robust growth in high-tech manufacturing, equipment production, and consumer goods sectors in October, along with positive signals from the China-U.S. economic and trade talks in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and the U.S. Federal Reserve’s second rate cut this year, have boosted corporate optimism and sustained expansion in industrial operations, with the bulk commodity market maintaining a steady upward momentum.

They cautioned, however, that uncertainties in the global economy will persist, while prices of some commodities will remain subdued and supply-demand imbalances will continue to be pronounced.

To consolidate the momentum of economic recovery, experts called for stronger macroeconomic policy adjustments and further efforts to improve efficiency and reduce costs in commodity circulation to better unlock domestic demand potential.

Chinese, Cuban communist parties hold seventh theory seminar

The Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) held the seventh theory seminar on Thursday in Beijing, which focused on the practice and experience in promoting socialist modernization through scientific development planning.

Li Shulei, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, and Gladys Martinez Verdecia, a member of Politburo of the Central Committee of the PCC and first secretary of Artemisa Provincial Party Committee, attended the seminar and delivered keynote speeches.

This year marks the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Cuba, Li said, noting that the top leaders of the two parties and countries have exchanged congratulatory messages on this occasion and held two meetings this year, engaging in in-depth discussions on the relations between the two parties and countries.

These interactions have provided strategic guidance for further strengthening the ironclad friendship and building an even closer China-Cuba community with a shared future, Li added.

The fourth plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee has formulated the top-level design and strategic plan for China's development during the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) period, Li said, noting that the CPC emphasizes guiding economic and social development through medium-term and long-term planning, and China has vigorously promoted the enhancement of its overall national strength and the improvement of people's livelihoods through successive five-year plans.

Martinez spoke highly of the tremendous accomplishments made by China in the new era under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core. She also expressed Cuba's willingness to strengthen exchanges and mutual learning with China on the experience of party and state governance, and to jointly promote the building of a Cuba-China community with a shared future.