AnewZ Morning Brief - 14 October, 2025
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for 14 October, covering the latest developments you need to know....
China's economy met the 5% growth target for 2024, but many feel a slowdown, as industrial gains overshadow weak consumer demand. Rising unemployment and deflationary pressures highlight deeper structural challenges, leaving skepticism over the accuracy of official data and future growth.
While China met its official 2024 growth target of 5%, many citizens are feeling the strain of a lopsided recovery. Economic gains have been concentrated in industry and exports, leaving domestic consumption weak and living standards worsening for many.
Despite achieving the target, concerns are growing that structural issues in China’s economy could worsen in 2025, particularly if the government continues to rely on debt to drive growth. Beijing’s strategy includes counteracting potential U.S. tariff hikes, which could be implemented as soon as the inauguration of President Donald Trump next week.
Industrial output outpaced retail sales, and unemployment continued to rise, signaling the challenges of a supply-driven economy running a large trade surplus but facing internal weaknesses. While factory deflation makes Chinese exports more competitive, it also deepens internal deflationary pressures and leads to shrinking corporate profits and stagnant wages.
Andrew Wang, an executive in the industrial automation sector, said his revenue fell 16% last year, prompting job cuts. He noted that for many businesses, “We need to run faster just to stay where we are.”
Despite the government's push for domestic consumption, with policies like a subsidized trade-in program for cars and appliances, many in China feel the economic gains aren’t reaching them. For example, Jiaqi Zhang, a 25-year-old investment banker in Beijing, saw her salary decrease by 30% over two years, leaving her with a general sense of unease about her future.
China's official data claims a 5.4% growth rate in the fourth quarter of 2024, a jump from earlier in the year. However, some analysts believe this growth was boosted by front-loaded exports to the U.S., ahead of any potential tariff hikes. Frederic Neumann, chief Asia economist at HSBC, warned that a greater domestic stimulus will be needed in 2025 to sustain the economy.
Though China met its target, skepticism is rising about the accuracy of the data. There is growing concern that domestic demand remains weak, which could continue to strain China’s economy and contribute to broader global trade tensions.
As for the future, economists are divided, with some predicting slower growth in 2025. Alicia Garcia-Herrero of Natixis stated that investors are unlikely to be swayed by the 5% growth target, pointing out that it’s becoming less relevant given the underlying economic challenges.
Additionally, widespread skepticism about the reliability of official data continues to grow, especially after recent commentary on GDP estimates suggested growth may have been overstated in past years.
Despite these concerns, China is expected to continue implementing stimulus measures to address its structural economic issues and maintain growth in the coming year.
Video from the USGS (United States Geological Survey) showed on Friday (19 September) the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii erupting and spewing lava.
At least 69 people have died and almost 150 injured following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cebu City in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, officials said, making it one of the country’s deadliest disasters this year.
Authorities in California have identified the dismembered body discovered in a Tesla registered to singer D4vd as 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, who had been missing from Lake Elsinore since April 2024.
A tsunami threat was issued in Chile after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the Drake Passage on Friday. The epicenter was located 135 miles south of Puerto Williams on the north coast of Navarino Island.
The war in Ukraine has reached a strategic impasse, and it seems that the conflict will not be solved by military means. This creates a path toward one of two alternatives: either a “frozen” phase that can last indefinitely or a quest for a durable political regulation.
Iran's foreign ministry on 14 October criticised U.S. President Donald Trump's call for dialogue, accusing Washington of "hostile and criminal behaviour" following his remarks to the Israeli parliament about being ready to strike a deal with Tehran.
On 13 October, Azerbaijan’s Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev met with Iran’s Minister of Roads and Urban Development, Farzaneh Sadegh.
Official Tbilisi is aiming to establish a genuine and meaningful strategic partnership with Washington.
The trilateral meeting between Iran, Azerbaijan, and Russia aimed at strengthening economic and transport cooperation is considered a key platform for the region.
Brussels has become the stage for a pivotal shift in Central Asia’s energy policy, with a focus on sustainable development, access to investment, and geopolitical reorientation towards Europe.
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