BUYING SPREE: A consumer in Xuan'en County, Hubei Province, looks at personal computers at an electronics mall. U.S. research firm IDC said China became the world's largest PC market in the second quarter, with 18.5 million units in PC shipments, overtaking the United States (SONG WEN)

18.1 billion yuan

In the first seven months, China's five largest electricity companies—Huaneng, Datang, Huadian, Guodian and China Power—incurred combined losses of 18.1 billion yuan ($2.8 billion) from thermal power generation, said the China Electricity Council.

92.95 billion yuan

China Construction Bank reported 92.95 billion yuan ($14.5 billion) in net profits for the first half of 2011, up 31.33 percent from a year ago.