In the first four months of the year, the value-added output of Sichuan's industries above the designated size grew by 6.8 percent, outpacing the national average by 0.5 percentage points. On May 20, the Sichuan Provincial Bureau of Statistics released the main indicators for Sichuan's national economy from January to April 2024. During this period, Sichuan recorded a total retail sales of consumer goods amounting to 871.34 billion yuan, showcasing a 5.4 percent year-on-year increase, surpassing the national average by 1.3 percentage points. These statistics underscore the province's sustained momentum for economic recovery and growth.

An analysis of industry growth reveals that out of the 41 major industry categories, 31 experienced growth in value added. Notable among these are the sectors of raw chemical materials and chemical products manufacturing, which saw a 17.4 percent year-on-year increase, the non-metallic mineral products manufacturing with a 16.9 percent rise, the petroleum and natural gas extraction registering a 9.6 percent growth, and the alcohol, beverage and refined tea manufacturing achieving a 7.3 percent increase. 

Grouped by the major industrial product output, natural gas production saw a 7.7 percent year-on-year increase, monocrystalline silicon and polycrystalline silicon production up by 124.0 percent and 56.0 percent, respectively, the production of lithium-ion batteries rising by 70.0 percent year on year, and industrial boiler production up by 51.9 percent.

In the first four months of 2024, the sales-output ratio of the industrial enterprises above the designated size reached 94.1 percent. The industrial investment showed a positive growth trend, with the investment in fixed assets (excluding rural households) registering a year-on-year increase of 1.6 percent. Grouped by industry, the first industry saw a 14.0 percent year-on-year increase in investment, while the second industry experienced a 9.4 percent growth over the same period, notably with industrial investment in the latter increasing by 9.8 percent. In contrast, the tertiary industry experienced a 1.8 percent year-on-year decrease in investment.

In real estate development, investment in real estate saw a 14.1 percent year-on-year decrease. The construction area of commercial buildings decreased by 9.5 percent year-on-year, while the sales area declined by 21.7 percent.

Since the beginning of this year, the consumption market in Sichuan has exhibited a consistent recovery trend. Grouped by consumption patterns, the catering income reached 123.24 billion yuan, registering a 12.4 percent year-on-year growth, and the retail sales of goods totaled 748.1 billion yuan, marking a 4.3 percent increase. Enterprises (units) above the designated size in retail sales of consumer goods achieved a retail volume of 52.1 billion yuan through the Internet, witnessing a 3.9 percent rise on a year-on-year base.

In terms of the retail trends in hot commodities, the retail sales of cultural and office appliances by enterprises (units) above the designated size saw a 24.5 percent year-on-year growth; grain, oil, food, beverages, tobacco and alcohol up by 15.6 percent; the traditional Chinese and western medicines up by 12.4 percent; and the gold, silver, and jewelry up by 7.0 percent.