Talking points

Countries around the world celebrate May Day, the spring holiday long associated with workers and labour. May 1 is marked as International Labour Day, an important holiday in many socialist countries including China, Vietnam and North Korea. In some Western countries, the celebration of May Day dates back to pre-Christian times and is marked with rituals and traditions dating back to their pagan ancestors.

Two key pieces of data published in Beijing offer an up-to-date picture of the nation's economy and prospects for the year ahead. The official purchasing managers' index shows the level of factory activity, while the property index figures released by the China Index Academy will give an indication of the success of the government's attempts to bring balance to the property market.