Overview

On July 17, 2026, a joint press release from Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business (CKGSB) and SDA Bocconi School of Management announced the latest MM Art Indices, which provide a quantitative assessment of global art‑market performance. The report, authored by CKGSB Professor of Finance Jianping Mei, indicates a synchronized recovery across major art segments during the Spring 2026 auction season.

Core Market Movements

The MM Chinese Art Price Index increased by 1.7% in Spring 2026. In the same period, the Impressionist Art Index rebounded sharply with a 15.0% gain, while the Contemporary Art Index rose 10.8%. These concurrent advances suggest renewed confidence after several years of post‑pandemic correction.

Historical Context and Growth Rates

Since the base year 2000, the MM Chinese Art Price Index has risen from a value of 1 to 6.83, implying a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 7.8%. By comparison, the Impressionist and Contemporary indices have recorded CAGRs of about 3.5% and 4.8% respectively over the same period.

Recent Price Adjustments

Chinese art prices experienced a deep correction, falling 52.7% from their 2020 pandemic peak due to the pandemic’s impact, China’s broader economic transition, and a global downturn in the art market. The Spring 2026 data suggest that prices are beginning to stabilise, and the MM Chinese Art Sentiment Index has continued to improve since Autumn 2025, now approaching its historical average.

Sub‑Segment Performance Within Chinese Art

Within the Chinese Art Indices, Contemporary Art posted an 18.6% increase and Oil Painting surged 21.9%. Conversely, Modern Art declined 4.7% and Ink Painting fell 4.0%, highlighting a selective recovery that favours internationally recognised and more liquid categories.

European Country Art Indices

European art price indices also showed strength: France rose 24.7%, the United Kingdom gained 18.5%, and Germany increased 6.0%, while Italy slipped 3.2%, underscoring regional variation in the recovery.

Sentiment Correlation

The report notes a strong correlation between the rise in global contemporary art sentiment and the improvement in Chinese art sentiment during Spring 2026, underscoring the increasingly interconnected nature of global art‑market cycles.

Disclaimer

The release is distributed under an arrangement with PRNewswire, and PTI disclaims editorial responsibility for its content.