China’s economy grew by 5% last year, as record exports helped the world’s second largest economy meet its annual target.

Beijing had set a goal of “around 5%” economic growth in 2025, despite struggles to boost domestic spending and a prolonged property crisis.

China reported the world’s largest-ever trade surplus last week – the value of goods and services sold overseas compared to its imports – of $1.19tn (£890bn), driven by a rise in exports to markets outside the US, as President Donald Trump continued his tariffs policy.

But official figures released on Monday also showed that China’s economic growth slowed to a rate of 4.5% in the final three months of 2025 compared to a year earlier.

As well as China’s exporters moving away from the American market, China’s economic resilience was helped by lower-than-expected US tariffs after Beijing and Washington agreed a tariffs pause.

While China’s manufacturers continued to boost exports, the country is grappling with a number of issues in its domestic economy.

The country has been struggling with an ongoing property crisis and rising local government debt, which has made businesses more hesitant to invest and consumers cautious about spending.

Other new data on Monday showed that new home prices continued to fall in December, as the government struggled to stabilise the property market. Prices dropped 2.7% last month compared to a year earlier, the sharpest decline in five months. Property investment also fell 17.2% last year.

At the same time retail sales rose by just 0.9% in December, the slowest rate in three years.

But the country’s factory output increased by 5.2% in December from a year earlier, beating the 4.8% growth in November.

China’s leaders have pledged “proactive” policies this year as they look to increase domestic spending and shift reliance away from exports and investments.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves will say that cutting red tape for firms listing their shares on the London stock markets is “reinvigorating” the City after early signs of a revival.

Ms Reeves also set her hopes on the FTSE 100’s standout year encouraging more Britons to get investing.

The Chancellor’s remarks coincide with the financial watchdog introducing new rules in the UK’s capital markets on Monday.

The new measures lower costs and speed things up for UK businesses looking to secure investment.

“Two years ago, some said the City’s best days were behind it. They were wrong,” Ms Reeves is expected to say at an event in the City of London on Monday.

“As the FTSE 100 reaches record highs and global firms once again choose London, we are seeing the first signs of a new golden age for the City.

“By cutting paperwork and speeding up access to capital, these reforms back the entrepreneurs, innovators and investors who drive our economy – while preserving the high standards and investor protections that make the UK one of the most trusted markets in the world.”

She will add that simpler and faster prospectuses and a more competitive listings regime are “reinvigorating that spirit” of openness in the London markets.

Under the new rules, companies that are already listed on London’s stock markets will not need to publish lengthy prospectuses in order to issue more shares and raise funds, in most cases.

The changes will also halve the time it takes between initial documents being published and an IPO (initial public offering) to list on the London Stock Exchange (LSE).

Furthermore, the LSE hailed the launch of its new “access bonds” initiative on the back of changes that make it easier for bonds to be issued in smaller values, therefore making them more accessible to a wider range of individual investors.

The changes come after the LSE was bolstered by a late spurt in listing activity towards the end of 2025, including the flotations of Princes Group and Shawbrook Bank.

It sparked hopes of a rebound after a prolonged drought in activity and a flurry of UK-listed businesses abandoning London for international rivals.

Meanwhile, Ms Reeves is banking on the recent record performance of the FTSE 100 ushering in more retail investors.

The index, which tracks the performance of the UK’s biggest listed companies, surpassed the milestone 10,000 mark earlier this month for the first time in its history.

It follows a standout year that saw the FTSE rise by 21.5%, the most since 2009.

The Government is working on reforms that will build a retail investment culture in the UK and remove barriers it says are unnecessary, with Britain trailing behind other countries such as the US.

New Delhi: Even as the United States threatens higher tariffs, a few Indian companies have increased crude oil imports from Russia. The purchases come at a time when overall Russian oil imports into India have fallen because of international restrictions.

Government-owned Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and Nayara Energy, which is linked with Rosneft, have raised their procurement from Russia this month. The Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), one of India’s major state-owned oil and gas companies, has also continued buying, though in smaller volumes. Reliance Industries, the biggest Russian oil buyer last year, has not purchased any crude from Russia this month.

Data from analytics firm Kpler shows that in the first half of January, India imported an average of 1.18 million barrels per day from Russia. This is nearly 30 percent lower than the same period last year and below the 2025 monthly average. Compared with December 2025, imports are down by around three percent.

Which Companies Bought Russian Oil

US sanctions have reduced the number of Indian buyers for Russian crude. So far, only the IOC, the Nayara Energy and the BPCL have imported Russian crude this month. The IOC accounts for nearly half a million barrels per day, roughly 43 percent of total Russian crude arriving in India. This is its highest purchase since May 2024 and 64 percent above its 2025 monthly average.

Nayara Energy ranks second, buying about 471,000 barrels per day. That represents 40 percent of Russian crude arriving in India. This is its largest purchase in at least two years and 56 percent higher than its 2025 average.

The BPCL has bought approximately 200,000 barrels per day, slightly above its 2025 average of 185,000 barrels per day.

Companies Not Buying Russian Oil

Reliance Industries has not purchased Russian crude this month. Other companies that stayed out include the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation, the HPCL-Mittal Energy Ltd and the Mangalore Refinery & Petrochemicals Ltd.

Russian suppliers have increased discounts on crude because of falling demand from some Indian and Chinese buyers. Industry officials say that the discount on Russian Urals crude delivered to Indian ports has risen to about $5-6 per barrel. Before US sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil in October, the discount was around $2 per barrel.

The IOC has increased its January purchases to take advantage of the cheaper prices.