China's property sector worsened in August
 China's property sector worsened in August
  Economy  |  Residential  |  International  |  Analysis

China's property sector worsened in August

For August, property investment fell for the 18th straight month, down 19.1% year-on-year from a 17.8% slump the previous month.
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RE+D magazine
15.09.2023

A slump in China's property sector worsened in August, with deepening falls in new home prices, property investment and sales, despite a recent flurry of support measures, adding pressure to the world's second-largest economy.

New home prices fell at the fastest pace in 10 months in August, down 0.3% month-on-month after a 0.2% decline in July, according to Reuters calculations based on National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) data. Prices were down 0.1% from a year earlier, after a 0.1% decline in July.

For August, property investment fell for the 18th straight month, down 19.1% year-on-year from a 17.8% slump the previous month, separate data showed on Friday. Home sales are down for the 26th consecutive month, according to Reuters calculations based on the data.

China has in recent weeks delivered a raft of measures to boost home buying sentiment, including easing some borrowing rules, and relaxing home purchasing curbs in some cities.

These policies have given major cities like Beijing a tiny boost in new home sales, but some worry they might be short-lived and could potentially dry up demand in smaller cities.

China's broader economy is showing signs of stabilisation with economic figures showing quickening growth in industrial output and retail sales.