China releases July economic data and outlines tech innovation plan

On July 31, China’s National Bureau of Statistics will publish the July Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) and the country’s state‑run media will report a new round of retail gasoline price adjustments expected to be the tenth increase this year. The same day the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) will hold its July press conference, while eight listed firms are set to have restricted shares unlocked, representing a total market value of about 13.7 billion yuan.

Meanwhile, the State‑owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) convened a meeting in Beijing on July 28‑29 with local SASAC heads to stress the need to boost enterprise technology‑innovation capability, strengthen collaboration on key core technologies, and improve the conversion of scientific results. The meeting linked these efforts to the implementation of the “15‑year‑5‑year” plan and the ongoing wave of state‑owned‑enterprise reforms. A side note reported that Google’s DeepMind has dissolved its AlphaFold team, reflecting shifts in global AI research structures.