Female candidates taking China's gaokao exam are facing increasing attention online regarding the challenge of having their periods overlap with the test dates. An estimated 30% of female candidates may experience this, leading some to seek contraceptives or folk remedies to postpone their periods.
China's oil and gas production increased by 1.3% and 2.7% respectively in January-April 2026. However, oil refining saw a 0.5% decrease. Russia remains China's top energy supplier, with oil imports down but LNG and Power of Siberia pipeline gas up.
Home prices in China's first-tier cities (Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou) increased in April, with Shanghai leading at 0.7% month-over-month, while declines in second- and third-tier cities narrowed or stabilized.
Secondary home prices in China's major cities, including Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou, rose in April. Official data indicates a potential bottoming out of the struggling property sector, with more cities seeing price stabilization or increases.
China's major industrial enterprises posted 15.8% profit growth in March, the fastest since September, driven by AI and semiconductor sectors. Q1 profits reached 1.696 trillion yuan, up 15.5% YoY. Manufacturing outpaced mining with 19.1% vs 16.2% growth. Computer and electronic equipment profits surged 120%, while optical-fibre manufacturing profits jumped 336.8%.
Young Chinese graduates are facing severe challenges in the job market amid deflationary pressures and economic uncertainty. Bai Xi, a finance and management graduate from Hebei province, is among many who failed local-level civil service exams after months of preparation and part-time work. She has given up on retaking the exams, citing exhaustion and the belief that further attempts would be a waste of time.
