(Yicai Global) Aug. 27 -- Total profits earned by China's biggest industrial enterprises slid 1.7 percent annually to CNY3.5 trillion (USD489 billion) from January through July, compared with a 2.4 percent decline over the first six months.

In July alone, the companies made CNY512.7 billion (USD71.6 billion), an annual gain of 2.6 percent against a 3.1 percent year-on-year dip in June, the National Bureau of Statistics said today. It did not specify whether the profit was before or after tax.