China's industrial profits grew by 4.2% in August compared to the previous year. This marks the fourth consecutive month of slowing cumulative profit growth, which dropped from a peak of 24.7% in April to 15.7% by the end of August.
In contrast, other economies report significant gains linked to the artificial intelligence sector. South Korean companies achieved a record operating margin of 16.9% in the second quarter, while manufacturing margins in the region surged to 24.0% due to chip production.
Corporate profits in Japan rose by 24.6% year-on-year during the second quarter. Meanwhile, US manufacturers reported after-tax profits of $370.1 billion for the same period, an increase from $225.8 billion recorded a year prior.
The Eurozone faces different challenges, with industrial production falling by 1.2% year-on-year in January and remaining flat by July. Despite this, Germany saw its manufacturing index return to expansion for the first time in over three years.
