Data | From incessant blackouts to manufacturing slump - China's power crisis explained
The Hindu
In August 2021, the gap between the growth in electricity generation and consumption widened considerably in China
Despite China having relatively fewer COVID-19 cases and fewer movement restrictions, its economy has slowed down in 2021. Moreover, the pace of contraction quickened over the last two months. The major reason for this downturn seems to be the incessant power cuts and blackouts that have significantly impacted the output of manufacturing units. The power crisis was due to . As economies opened up, the demand for finished goods surged, pushing China’s factories to produce more. This increased the demand for electricity, which China was not able to meet. Also, as coal prices surged, thermal power plants in China could not operate sustainably and reduced their supply. Moreover, due to tight emission norms following a resolve to reduce greenhouse gases, mining output has been restricted and factories have been asked to scale back to achieve targets.
The graph shows the manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) of China. A PMI that is above 50% shows that the manufacturing economy is expanding; if it is less than 50%, it shows that the manufacturing economy is shrinking.
Let’s take a look at some of the biggest crypto events of the year.
Silver futures soar to ₹2.32 lakh/kg as global prices exceed $75, marking a record high in commodities trading.
Stock markets decline as Sensex and Nifty fall amid foreign fund outflows and low trading volumes on December 26, 2025.
Rupee drops 23 paise to 89.94 against the dollar amid negative equity trends and rising crude prices.
The commencement of commercial flight from the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) is expected to speed up infrastructure and real estate development across Navi Mumbai and surrounding regions, analysts & industry executives said.
GCCs keep India’s tech job market alive, even as IT services industry embarks on a hiring moratorium
Global Capability Centres, offshore subsidiaries set up by multinational corporations, mostly known by an acronym GCCs, are now the primary engine sustaining India’s tech job market, contrasting sharply with the hiring slowdown witnessed by large firms in the country.
India’s manufacturing sector underperforms compared to China and South Korea, partly due to public sector wages that raise costs and reduce competitiveness.
Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, once prominent investors in the Indian equity market are seen shying away due to rupee depreciation and have moved to global funds, said a top financial services executive.
Mobile phones are increasingly migrating to smaller chips that are more energy efficient and powerful supported by specialised Neural Processing Units (NPUs) to accelerate AI workloads directly on devices, said Anku Jain, India Managing Director for MediaTek, a Taiwanese fabless semiconductor firm that claims a 47% market share India’s smartphone chipset market.
In one more instance of a wholly owned subsidiary of a Chinese multinational company in India getting ‘Indianised’, Bharti Enterprises, a diversified business conglomerate with interests in telecom, real estate, financial services and food processing among others, and the local arm of private equity major Warburg Pincus have announced to collectively own a 49% stake in Haier India, a subsidiary of the Haier Group which is headquartered in Qingdao, Shandong, China.
Indian stock markets closed lower amid volatility, with key firms lagging as global trends influenced trading activity.
Bharti and Warburg Pincus invest in Haier India, acquiring a 49% stake to enhance growth and innovation in consumer durables.
India's net FDI remains negative for October 2025, with outflows surpassing inflows amid trade deal uncertainties.