A tectonic shift: from real estate to equities

For years, Chinese consumer confidence was closely tied to the property market, where most household wealth was concentrated. However, a prolonged downturn in construction has fundamentally reshaped financial behavior.

According to consulting firm McKinsey & Co., in 2016 more than 90% of Chinese household savings were held in real estate. By last year, that share had collapsed to just one-third. Where did the money go? Into stocks and other financial assets.

This shift has made consumer sentiment increasingly dependent on the stock market. And the market is currently experiencing a tech-driven boom: the ChiNext Index (China’s equivalent of the Nasdaq) surpassed its 2015 bubble-era peak in May, rising 26% year-to-date.

“Luxury spending is closely tied to wealthy households’ income expectations,” explains Fu Zhifeng, chief investment officer at Shanghai Chengzhou Investment Management. “The strong stock market rally has created a so-called wealth effect, encouraging people to spend now.”

The end of the era of deep discounts

The rebound in demand has allowed fashion houses and cosmetics giants to breathe easier and begin scaling back aggressive online promotions and heavy discounting that had been eroding their margins in recent years.

According to BigOne Lab, retail sales of Louis Vuitton (LVMH) and Burberry in China returned to growth in the first quarter. Gucci significantly narrowed its declines, while Coach accelerated its growth.

On Alibaba platforms Tmall and Taobao, combined sales of the top 10 premium beauty brands (priced above 200 yuan or $29) surged 39% in the first four months of the year. In contrast, mass-market brands recorded slight declines.

“We have finally exited the era of mass discounting,” says Jessica Gleeson, CEO of Shanghai-based consultancy BrighterBeauty. “Premium brands are steering consumers away from destructive price cuts, instead offering exclusive offline events and curated gift sets.”

China is rescuing global retail

The renewed momentum in China has become critically important for global corporations, especially amid weakening demand in the Middle East due to ongoing geopolitical conflict.

While other regions remain volatile, first-quarter 2026 earnings from industry leaders are encouraging:

• Ralph Lauren sales in China jumped more than 50%, driven by strong Lunar New Year demand.
• L’Oréal reported mid- to high-single-digit growth in China, accelerating sharply compared with the second half of 2025. CEO Nicolas Hieronimus directly linked the improvement to stronger market sentiment.

However, analysts caution against confusing a rebound among millionaires with a full recovery of China’s broader economy. Luxury demand remains concentrated in a narrow segment of wealthy consumers, while macroeconomic indicators remain mixed and both housing and equity markets remain volatile.

Still, the message is clear: the ice is breaking. Chinese luxury consumption is once again positioning itself as a key engine of global fashion.