Five-Year LPR Seen Lower By Year-end - Times

The benchmark 5-year Loan Prime Rate, which lenders based their mortgage rates on, is expected to be lowered this year as policymakers aim for a soft landing in the real estate sector to help stabilise growth and control financial risks, Securities Times reported citing Wang Qing, chief analyst at Golden Credit Rating. Though the central bank maintained its rate on the medium-term lending facility - an anchor to LPR - in November, the LPR is likely to head lower this year to accelerate credit expansion. The top priority for credit policy is to increase lending to the property sector and stabilise investment in infrastructure and manufacturing, the newspaper said citing analysts.