Major Macro Economic Statistics in July

Retail sales rises 17.2% in July

Retail sales followed a similar pattern, rising a solid 17.2 percent year-on-year, but still lower than June's gain of 17.7 percent, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

PMI falls a fourth consecutive month 

China's official purchasing managers' index (PMI), a key gauge of manufacturing activity, fell for a fourth straight month to a 29-month low of 50.7 in July, while releasing positive signs for economic growth.

According to data released by the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP) on Monday, the official PMI dropped by 0.2 point from June's 50.9.

In May, it had fallen by 1.1 points from 52. A PMI of 50 or greater indicates growth and less than 50 indicates contraction.

China's exports up 20.4% in July

China's exports in July rose 20.4 percent from a year ago to reach $175.128 billion, the General Administration of Customs (GAC) said on Wednesday.

China's trade surplus rose sharply to $31.48 billion in July from June's $22.27 billion.

Imports increased 22.9 percent from a year ago to $143.64 billion, up from June's 19.3 percent.

Fiscal revenue up 26.7% in July

China's Ministry of Finance said on Thursday that the country's fiscal revenues rose 26.7 percent year-on-year to 986.41 billion yuan ($154.13 billion) in July.

The central government posted revenues of 522.86 billion yuan last month, a rise of 24.5 percent year-on-year, the ministry said in a statement on its website. Local governments claimed the rest of the money.Expenditures increased by 19.6 percent from one year earlier to hit 694.99 billion yuan last month.

For the first seven months of this year, the country's national fiscal revenues jumped 30.5 percent from a year earlier to reach 6.67 trillion yuan.