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China's new home prices extended their downward trend in March, according to fresh data released by the National Bureau of Statistics, though some of the country's largest cities began showing modest month-on-month improvements — a potential early sign of stabilization in an otherwise struggling real estate sector.
Based on calculations by Reuters using official government statistics, new home prices across China declined 0.2% in March compared to the previous month. While still negative, this marks a slight easing from the 0.3% month-on-month drop recorded in February, suggesting the pace of decline may be gradually slowing in certain segments of the market.
However, the year-over-year picture remains concerning. Annual home prices fell 3.4% in March, a steeper decline than February's 3.2% drop and the most significant annual decrease seen in the past ten months. This deepening yearly contraction highlights the persistent challenges facing China's property market, where weak consumer demand continues to suppress activity and limit any meaningful price recovery.
The ongoing softness in China's housing market reflects broader economic headwinds, including cautious homebuyer sentiment, tightening household budgets, and lingering uncertainty following years of turbulence among major property developers. Despite government efforts to stimulate demand through eased mortgage restrictions and policy support measures, buyer confidence has yet to fully rebound.
Major cities, however, are offering a slightly more optimistic outlook. Month-on-month improvements in urban centers suggest that targeted policy interventions may be beginning to take effect at the local level, even as national figures remain in negative territory.
Analysts and investors will be closely watching China's real estate data in the coming months to determine whether the marginal improvements seen in major cities can translate into a broader and more sustained market recovery across the country.
