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    <channel>
        <title>Weekly RSS</title>
       
        <link>https://www.bofit.fi/en/rss/weekly-rss/</link>
        <description><![CDATA[]]></description>
        <language>en</language>
                <item>
                    <title>China&#x2019;s official GDP statistics suggest the economy off to a decent start this year</title>
                    <link>https://www.bofit.fi/en/monitoring/weekly/2026/vw202616_1/</link>
                    <description><![CDATA[China’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported on Thursday (April 16) that GDP growth accelerated to 5.0 % y-o-y in the first quarter of 2026, up from 4.5 % in 4Q25. According to the demand breakdown, the growth pickup was driven by rapid investment growth. It seems that in particular investment in production machinery and equipment grew very rapidly, likely related to the continued strong growth in industrial output and exports. Growth in retail sales was subdued in the early part of the year as the effects of government support programmes are fading. Contrary to the official data, BOFIT’s alternative GDP calculation suggests that GDP growth slightly slowed down in the first quarter. In conjunction with the release of our Forecast for China 2026–2028, BOFIT will hold a webinar briefing on Tuesday May 5 ( sign-up link here ). ]]></description>
                    <guid>https://www.bofit.fi/en/monitoring/weekly/2026/vw202616_1/</guid>
                    <pubDate>Fri, 17 Apr 2026 11:04:50 GMT</pubDate>
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                    <title>China&#x2019;s current account surplus hit an all-time high last year; net outflow of capital from China gathered strength</title>
                    <link>https://www.bofit.fi/en/monitoring/weekly/2026/vw202616_2/</link>
                    <description><![CDATA[Balance - of-payments figures from China’s State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) show the country’s current account surplus in the fourth quarter of 2025 amounted to $244 billion (1,726 billion yuan). The goods trade surplus was $310 billion and the services trade deficit $49 billion. In addition, the net flow of factor income and current transfers included in the current account amounted to a deficit of $18 billion. The financial account deficit was $235 billion. For the year overall, the current account showed a strong surplus ($735 billion, 3.8 % of GDP) and the financial account a similar magnitude deficit ($774 billion). ]]></description>
                    <guid>https://www.bofit.fi/en/monitoring/weekly/2026/vw202616_2/</guid>
                    <pubDate>Fri, 17 Apr 2026 11:03:47 GMT</pubDate>
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                    <title>Conflicts in the Middle East cloud global economic outlook</title>
                    <link>https://www.bofit.fi/en/monitoring/weekly/2026/vw202616_3/</link>
                    <description><![CDATA[The International Monetary Fund (IMF) this week released its latest World Economic Outlook . In addition to a baseline forecast, the IMF included alternative “adverse” and “severe” scenarios, whereby trends remain weaker than in the baseline, reflecting uncertainty over the duration and scope of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The baseline scenario assumes that the war between the United States, Israel, and Iran ends in the coming weeks, and that commodity production in the Middle East, as well as exports, normalise by mid-2026. Under the adverse scenario, oil and natural gas prices significantly exceed the baseline this year, and also remain somewhat elevated next year. By contrast, in the severe scenario, commodity prices remain well above baseline this year and next year, and do not return to trend until 2028. The two downside scenarios include the assumption that inflation expectations rise over the short term in reaction to elevated energy prices, thereby requiring tighter monetary policy. The risk premia for firms also rises. ]]></description>
                    <guid>https://www.bofit.fi/en/monitoring/weekly/2026/vw202616_3/</guid>
                    <pubDate>Fri, 17 Apr 2026 11:01:52 GMT</pubDate>
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                    <title>Russian GDP growth to remain at last year&#x2019;s level boosted by higher commodity prices this year, growth will decelerate in 2027 and 2028</title>
                    <link>https://www.bofit.fi/en/monitoring/weekly/2026/vw202615_1/</link>
                    <description><![CDATA[Russia’s economic outlook, the costs facing Russia’s wartime economy and the implications of ending the Ukraine war were discussed on March 30 at BOFIT’s annual  Russia briefing . ]]></description>
                    <guid>https://www.bofit.fi/en/monitoring/weekly/2026/vw202615_1/</guid>
                    <pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 2026 12:17:34 GMT</pubDate>
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                    <title>Profitability down for China&#x2019;s banking sector</title>
                    <link>https://www.bofit.fi/en/monitoring/weekly/2026/vw202614_1/</link>
                    <description><![CDATA[China’s National Financial Regulatory Administration (NFRA) reports the aggregate total assets of China’s banking sector rose last year to around 480 trillion yuan (342 % of GDP), an increase of 8 % y-o-y. The total assets of the largest banks grew faster than other banks, collectively accounting for about 44 % of the banking sector’s total assets. The value of the loan stock climbed to 276 trillion yuan (197 % of GDP), an increase of over 6 % y-o-y. The combined profits of Chinese banks last year amounted to 2.4 trillion yuan, an increase of about 2 % from 2024 and approximately the same amount as in 2023. Profitability and earnings have stumbled on weakness in the domestic economy, the real estate sector’s woes, increased competition from non-bank actors operating in the sector, as well as falling interest rates. At the same time, the government has mandated that banks support the economy with inexpensive loans and flexible lending terms. ]]></description>
                    <guid>https://www.bofit.fi/en/monitoring/weekly/2026/vw202614_1/</guid>
                    <pubDate>Thu, 02 Apr 2026 11:55:50 GMT</pubDate>
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                    <title>Finland posted weak performances last year in goods and services trade with China</title>
                    <link>https://www.bofit.fi/en/monitoring/weekly/2026/vw202614_2/</link>
                    <description><![CDATA[The weak performance of Finnish goods exports to China continued last year. Finnish Customs reports that the value of Finnish exports amounted 3.4 billion euros, a decrease of 4 % from 2024. China’s share of the countries to which Finland exports also fell to 4.5 %, the smallest share since 2009. Finnish Customs figures show that 56.4 % of Finland’s goods exports last year went to other countries in the EU, 10.4 % to the United States 1.0 % to India, 0.4 % to Russia, 0.2 % to Ukraine and 0.2 % to Taiwan. ]]></description>
                    <guid>https://www.bofit.fi/en/monitoring/weekly/2026/vw202614_2/</guid>
                    <pubDate>Thu, 02 Apr 2026 11:54:37 GMT</pubDate>
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                    <title>Higher oil prices bring at least temporary relief for the Russian economy</title>
                    <link>https://www.bofit.fi/en/monitoring/weekly/2026/vw202613_1/</link>
                    <description><![CDATA[The outlook for Russia’s economic performance, which stumbled in the first two months of this year, is becoming even gloomier. While the recent spike in global oil prices due to the Iran war has brought Russia at least temporary economic relief, the longer-term impacts of the war depend largely how long elevated oil prices persist. A brief surge in oil prices would provide only limited support for Russia’s economy this year. ]]></description>
                    <guid>https://www.bofit.fi/en/monitoring/weekly/2026/vw202613_1/</guid>
                    <pubDate>Fri, 27 Mar 2026 11:33:27 GMT</pubDate>
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                    <title>China&#x2019;s budget promises no major changes from last year; large actual public sector deficit will persist</title>
                    <link>https://www.bofit.fi/en/monitoring/weekly/2026/vw201612_1/</link>
                    <description><![CDATA[In conjunction with the March National People’s Congress (NPC), the finance ministry released last year’s budget report and its draft budget for the current year. The report showed that budget revenues last year fell by 2 % to 21.6 trillion yuan (15.4 % of GDP), while spending grew by 1 % to 28.7 trillion yuan (20.5 % of GDP). The difference was made up by withdrawals from state funds, resulting in a budget deficit of 5.7 trillion yuan (4.0 % of GDP). The finance ministry noted that keeping revenues and expenditures in balance this year is likely to be challenging. Budget expenditures are expected to rise by 4.4 % and budget revenues by 2.4 % from last year, clearly underperforming expected nominal economic growth. The deficit should remain at around 4 % of GDP. ]]></description>
                    <guid>https://www.bofit.fi/en/monitoring/weekly/2026/vw201612_1/</guid>
                    <pubDate>Fri, 20 Mar 2026 10:23:28 GMT</pubDate>
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                    <title>In China, industry and foreign trade drove growth at the start of this year; direct impacts from Middle East war still modest</title>
                    <link>https://www.bofit.fi/en/monitoring/weekly/2026/vw202612_2/</link>
                    <description><![CDATA[China’s industrial output in the first two months of this year rose by 6.3 % y-o-y, a slight increase from late 2025. Manufacturing output grew by 6.6 %, led by soaring growth in production of industrial robots, lithium batteries and 3D printers. Goods exports continued to enjoy buoyant growth in January-February: the value of exports in dollar terms was up 22 % y-o-y. Exports to the United States continued to slide (down 11 %), while exports to the European Union, ASEAN countries, Australia, South Korea, as well as exports to Taiwan, grew by nearly 30 %. Goods imports also rose by 20 % in dollar terms. While imports from the US declined by nearly 30 % y-o-y, imports were higher from the EU (up 12 %), Japan (26 %), Taiwan (19 %) and South Korea (35 %). ]]></description>
                    <guid>https://www.bofit.fi/en/monitoring/weekly/2026/vw202612_2/</guid>
                    <pubDate>Fri, 20 Mar 2026 10:21:13 GMT</pubDate>
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                <item>
                    <title>No major shifts in economic policy under China&#x2019;s newest five-year plan</title>
                    <link>https://www.bofit.fi/en/monitoring/weekly/2026/vw202612_3/</link>
                    <description><![CDATA[The National People’s Congress (NPC) last week approved China’s 15 th five-year plan (2026–2030). The plan conforms with the Communist Party’s policy statement released last autumn and areas of policy emphasis announced earlier. Over the coming five years, China will focus especially on technological advancement, economic self-sufficiency and national industrial development, and thus policies remain on the same path as earlier. Based on the plan, it seems unlikely that the Chinese economy will experience any significant structural changes. ]]></description>
                    <guid>https://www.bofit.fi/en/monitoring/weekly/2026/vw202612_3/</guid>
                    <pubDate>Fri, 20 Mar 2026 10:18:59 GMT</pubDate>
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