Loans to small firms

THE country saw a surge in the outstanding sum of loans to small and micro companies in the first half of this year thanks to the government’s support for inclusive finance.

By the end of the second quarter, the balance of loans issued by the country’s banking and financial institutions to small and micro enterprises stood at 35.63 trillion yuan (US$5 trillion), according to the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission.

More investment

THE National Development and Reform Commission approved 12 fixed-asset investment projects with the combined investment totaling 70.5 billion yuan (US$10 billion) in July, data showed.

The projects were mainly in energy and transportation industries, according to Meng Wei, spokeswoman for the commission.

Pig herd shrinks

CHINA’S pig herd shrank by 32.2 percent in July from the same month a year ago, the country’s agriculture ministry said in its latest report, as African swine fever continues to spread through the country.

The ministry also said the number of sows declined by 31.9 percent in July, a year after the nation reported its first outbreak of the disease.