Economists' survey in the first quarter: Expectations for the stock market to be more optimistic in the second quarter.

Recently, Securities Times initiated the "Times Economy Eye: 2026 First Quarter Economist Questionnaire Survey," inviting authoritative economists from government departments, research institutions, and well-known universities to share their feelings about the economic performance in the first quarter and to provide forward-looking analysis on the second quarter trend of China's economy. The survey aims to accurately grasp the economic situation and provide suggestions for macroeconomic policies in the next phase. As of April 14, a total of 60 questionnaires have been collected. Of the respondents, 34 are from financial institutions, 8 are from government departments, and 18 are from universities, think tanks, and non-financial enterprises. The results of this survey show that most surveyed economists believe that the macroeconomic performance in the first quarter is stable and improving, with the expected economic growth rate not less than 4.8%, and the confidence in the future of the Chinese economy is increasing. Respondents expect prices to continue to rise reasonably in the second quarter, and the economic prosperity level to remain stable; they are optimistic about the continued inflow of cross-border capital into China, and have relatively optimistic expectations for the stock market prosperity in the second quarter.