There has been only one trading day this week in China. But no matter: that one day more than made up all the losses for this year.

Global investors are betting on China for a rebound, more than three years after they shunned the market as regulatory crackdowns hit the country’s biggest tech groups. Chinese markets are closed for most of the week for the so-called Golden Week holiday, as the country celebrates the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic. On the last day of trade before the holidays on Monday, the benchmark large-cap CSI 300 index rose 8.5 per cent, joining in the festive mood with the biggest daily gain since 2008.

Still, investor sentiment remains fragile, especially among foreign investors. Industrial profits at large Chinese companies fell 17.8 per cent August, their first decline in five months, reflecting the ongoing economic slowdown. Producer prices have been falling since 2022, adding to deflation concerns.