China posts weakest industrial profit growth this year, expanding 4.2% in August

China's industrial profits grew at their weakest pace this year, expanding just 4.2% in August from a year earlier, official data released Monday showed, as manufacturers grapple with persistent weakness in consumer demand and a sustained rise in energy costs.

The muted growth in August marked the fourth straight month of deceleration, after the 24.7% expansion in April , and the weakest performance since November 2025 when profits posted a double-digit decline.

For the first eight months of this year, profits at large industrial firms climbed 15.7%, losing momentum from a 17.6% rise in the January-July period .