🦸‍♂️ Super-China

China’s jumping, Britain’s slipping, and dating’s dying | [TOGETHER WITH]( Hi {NAME}, here's what you need to know for April 3rd in 3:08 minutes. 🚨 This time it’s your final chance. Join Bestinvest’s Alice Haine for [A Guide To Maximizing Your Tax Allowance]( this Monday, and discover some last-minute money-saving moves before the UK tax year ends. [Get your free ticket]( Today's big stories - China's economy finally hit the accelerator - Here’s how retail investors feel about the markets now – [Read Now]( - UK house prices plunged, dropping at the fastest annual rate in 14 years Beijing’s Bouncing [Beijing’s Bouncing] What’s Going On Here? Friday's fresh data [showed]( that China could be feeling its long-awaited economic rebound. What Does This Mean? China’s first official economic activity indicator for last month is out, and it's good news: local government efforts to boost folks' spending seem to be working, with households finally more willing to splurge and travel – a key sticking point since Covid restrictions were relaxed. On top of that, warmer weather has kicked building projects into high gear across the country, helping one construction activity gauge hit an all-time high. That meant an index tracking non-manufacturing sector activity grew at its fastest pace in over ten years – and even though manufacturing itself slowed slightly from February, it still outpaced economists' predictions. The takeaway: these signs suggest the world's second-largest economy is seeing the kind of bounceback that we’ve all been waiting for. Why Should I Care? The bigger picture: Still some sore spots. This news is a shot in the arm, and the momentum’s expected to hold up: in fact, economists think that China could breeze past its 5% economic growth target this year as a result. What's more, domestic demand kicking back in will be a genuine relief for the government: after all, that slowdown in the manufacturing sector is a genuine worry, and there’s a chance it’ll continue as global growth keeps dropping off. And that’ll leave a whole lot of slack for other areas – like consumer and government spending – to pick up. For markets: Investor heaven. The update has investors smiling – and the government’s promise to introduce measures improving market access and the business environment didn’t hurt either. Plus, markets should receive another extra boost before long: Alibaba’s already [started]( talks about listing its logistics arm, and JD.com has applied to list two of its subsidiaries – another sign the government is warming to the private sector. You might also like: [Five spicy stocks for China’s reopening.]( Copy to share story: [( 🙋 [Ask a question](mailto:questions@finimize.com?body=Ask us a question: Where are you writing from? Let us know and we'll mention it when we reply.&noapp=true&subject=Beijing’s Bouncing&utm_campaign=daily-global-03-04-2023&utm_source=email) Analyst Take Retail Investors Are More Upbeat: Here’s Where You’re Seeing Opportunities [Retail Investors Are More Upbeat: Here’s Where You’re Seeing Opportunities]( By Daniel Johnston, Analyst There’s no question we’ve seen some [major turbulence]( in the market this year. But if you’re like most Finimizers, you’re looking past the market turmoil and seeing the [potential for gains]( on the horizon. And there are a couple of investment themes you’re keeping an especially close eye on, according to our latest global survey, [Modern Investor Pulse](. That’s today’s Insight: [why retail investors are optimistic and where they’re finding opportunities now.]( [Read or listen to the Insight here]( SPONSORED BY IG The Swiss Army knife of investing Having one trusty tool is decent, sure, but you’ll be caught out in a lot of situations. Take investing: an asset that thrives in one environment might tank in another, so in topsy-turvy times like these, you’ll want [a toolkit that can handle whatever the world throws at you](. Thing is, [advanced diversification tactics]( are normally used by more experienced traders, and they can be hard to pick up for the first time. That won’t be a problem for you, mind you: check out [IG’s free online course](, and you’ll [discover the diversification tip and tricks]( that help the pros stay on top of volatile markets. [Upgrade your investing toolkit with IG.]( [Find Out More]( Your capital is at risk. 76% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. Slip ‘N Slide [Slip ‘N Slide] What’s Going On Here? Data out on Friday [showed]( that British house prices slipped more quickly than expected last month. What Does This Mean? The UK housing market is having a bit of a rough ride. Interest rate hikes haven’t let up, and last week’s data from the Bank of England (BoE) showed the average rate on new mortgages climbed to 4.2% – the highest since 2008. Throw in stretched household budgets and sagging consumer confidence, and it's no surprise that a wave of would-be buyers have been left feeling like the property ladder they want to climb is a lot closer to a slide. That weighed on house prices in March, which took a 3.1% dip from the same period last year. And that steep plunge – even worse than economists' predictions – marked the biggest yearly drop in house prices since 2009. Why Should I Care? For markets: More to come. Economists reckon the lion's share of the dropoff is still to come. See, even after the recent tumble, the average UK house price is still 19% higher than pre-pandemic levels – showing just how much cheap Covid-era money inflated the property bubble. And there’s a few other potential curveballs too: the government's Help To Buy scheme – which eased deposit requirements for first-time buyers – has ended, which will probably end up hitting demand. Plus, millions of fixed-rate deals are set to expire this year, which the BoE says could put over 100,000 households at risk of defaulting. Zooming out: Pack your hiking boots. UK and EU households aren't out of the woods when it comes to inflation. Sure, data from last Friday showed eurozone inflation dropping to its lowest level in a year, thanks to a dip in energy prices. But core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, [hit]( another record high – a sign that inflation’s still lingering. And with banking stress easing off, some economists think that’ll lead the European Central Bank to hike interest rates even more down the line. You might also like: [Morgan Stanley says the UK could deliver a huge surprise in 2023.]( Copy to share story: [( 🙋 [Ask a question](mailto:questions@finimize.com?body=Ask us a question: Where are you writing from? Let us know and we'll mention it when we reply.&noapp=true&subject=Slip ‘N Slide&utm_campaign=daily-global-03-04-2023&utm_source=email) 💬 Quote of the day “Any fool can tell the truth, but it requires a man of some sense to know how to lie well.” – Samuel Butler (an English novelist) [Tweet this]( SPONSORED BY REAL VISION Tune into this investing festival whenever you want, from wherever you are Thousands of folk from all over the world tuned into [Real Vision’s Festival of Learning]( last week. There was something to please everyone, from [personal finance sessions]( to [portfolio allocation masterclasses]( to an equally terrifying and exciting conversation about [artificial intelligence](. But no need to fret if you missed it: you can [access over eight hours of event recordings and transcripts]( from the festival. All you need to do is [take out a 14-day free trial](, and you’ll get set up with access immediately. (Psst: you’ll also get 14 days of access to everything in [Real Vision’s Essential membership tier](.) But offers like that don’t last forever: if you want this one, you’ll need to [sign up before the end of the day on April 5th](. [Find Out More]( 🌍 Finimize Live 🥳 Coming Up Soon… All events in UK time.📚 [A Guide To Maximizing Your Tax Allowance](: 5pm, April 3rd 🔮 [Future of Finance: Waking Up To The Retail Investor]( (London): 6.30pm, April 12th 💸 [Should You Save Your Cash Or Invest?](: 1pm, April 13th 🌎 [How To Invest Like A Venture Capitalist](: 6pm, April 17th 💰 [How To Build Wealth In The New Tax Year](: 1pm, April 18th 🙋‍♀️ [Women And Investing: Powering Up Your Pension](: 5pm, April 25th 💥 [Investing 101: The DIY Investor](: 1pm, May 4th 🎉 [Modern Investor Summit 2023](: 12pm, December 5th and 6th 🎯 On Our Radar - Make ‘em come round. Here’s how to [change someone’s mind](. - Asian swamp eels. These critters are [hoovering up]( native fish in the Everglades. - Your (AI) honor. An Indian court used ChatGPT [to set bail]( – in a murder case. - Done with dating. Here’s why young men are [opting out]( of romance. - Asteroid City. Wes Anderson’s [going extraterrestrial]( in his upcoming flick. ❤️ Share with a friend Thanks for reading {NAME}. If you liked today's brief, we'd love for you to share it with a friend. You stay classy, {NAME} 😉 We’d love to hear your thoughts. [Give feedback]( Want to advertise with us too? [Get in touch]( Image Credits: Image credits: 3drenderings - Shutterstock | Alexey Fedorenko - Shutterstock Preferences: [Update your email]( or [change preferences]( [View in browser]( [Unsubscribe]( from all Finimize Emails 😴 Crafted by Finimize Ltd. | 280 Bishopsgate, London, EC2M 4AG All content provided by Finimize Ltd. is for informational and educational purposes only and is not meant to represent trade or investment recommendations. You signed up to this mailing list at finimize.com or through one of our partners. © Finimize 2021 [View Online](