UK Unemployment Rate Climbs to 5.1% to Hit Four-Year High, Fueli

China's Female Population Plummets: Sharp Decrease of 1.15 Milli

According to the latest DataTrack data, China's female population was recorded at 688.04 million (68,804.0 ten thousand) in November 2025, a significant decrease of 1.15 million compared to 689.19 million in 2024. This marks the third consecutive year of negative growth since peaking in 2022 (689.69 million), with the decline showing alarming "acceleration"—from a slight decrease of only 160,000 between 2023-2024 to a sudden drop of 1.15 million in the single year of 2025, indicating that population shrinkage has moved from a moderation phase into an acceleration phase. Observing detailed data and long-term trends, the significance of this inflection point is substantial. Since the early 2000s, China's female population mostly maintained steady growth; however, the 2025 data not only fell below the 689 million mark but also set the largest single-year decline since records began for this data series. This shift aligns closely with external macro data: according to foreign media reports, China's total births in 2025 fell to a modern-era low. The precipitous drop in the number of newborns directly impacts the replacement base for the future female population. While the massive elderly female demographic provides volume support due to extended life expectancy, it cannot reverse the structural collapse caused by the reduction in young women of childbearing age. In-depth attribution analysis reveals that this "demographic tsunami" is the result of long-term low fertility rates compounded by aging. Bloomberg and Caixin point out that high child-rearing costs, economic uncertainty, and the "lying flat" attitude toward marriage and childbearing among the younger generation have led to a persistently sluggish total fertility rate. Furthermore, as the 1960s baby boomer generation enters old age, the mortality rate naturally rises, leading to an ever-widening "death cross" gap (where deaths exceed births). The reduction in the female population, serving as the core of reproduction, will further reinforce this negative feedback loop. Looking ahead, short-term (1-2 months) data is unlikely to reverse, and market focus will shift to whether the "Two Sessions" in March will introduce more aggressive fertility subsidies or delayed retirement policies. In the medium term (3-6 months), the rapid reduction of the female workforce will create upward pressure on wages in sectors with high female employment density, such as services and light industry. Meanwhile, although the "silver economy" presents opportunities, the overall weakening of consumption power and the widening pension gap will be "gray rhino" risks that the Chinese economy must face directly. Online Reference Sources: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/19/china-population-falls-again-birthrate-record-low https://www.asiatimes.com/2026/01/china-population-falls-fourth-year-economic-woes/ https://www.caixinglobal.com/2026-01-19/chinas-population-decline-accelerates-as-births-hit-modern-era-low-in-2025-102008765.html