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China new bank loans slow further in the first quarter this year
New yuan loans for the month of March came in at ¥2.99 trillion, missing on estimates of ¥3.4 trillion. That brings the total new bank lending in Q1 2026 to roughly ¥8.6 trillion. The total there marks a drop from Q1 2025 of around ¥9.8 trillion. Typically, the first quarter of the year is when we normally see the big credit and liquidity boost in the Chinese economy. That as the government wants to make sure financial market transmission and credit conditions are sufficient, especially with the Lunar New Year in focus. So, for the figure here to come in below what it was in Q1 last year is disappointing to say ... (full story)