fbpx

Type to search

China Construction Bank to Set up $4bn Rental Housing Fund

The state-owned lender said in a statement late on Friday that it plans to invest in real estate projects and turn them into affordable rental houses.


Investors responded strongly to the sale of three new real estate investment trusts this week.
China Construction Bank said on Friday it will put 30-billion yuan into rental housing. This Reuters image shows apartment blocks in Beijing at sunset.

 

China Construction Bank plans to set up a 30-billion-yuan ($4-billion) fund to finance rental housing.

The state-owned lender said in a statement late on Friday that it plans to invest in real estate projects and turn them into affordable rental houses.

This is the latest move to help the struggling property sector, which has been hit by a massive debt buildup, mortgage boycotts and sluggish sales.

Beijing has been stepping up efforts to boost the real estate sector. Property and construction account for more than a quarter of China’s economy.

The authorities have allowed affordable rental houses to be listed in the form of real estate investment trusts (REITs), opening a fresh financing channel for the business.

In July there were reports that China planned to launch a real estate fund to help developers resolve the crippling debt crisis.

The fund will initially be set at 80 billion yuan through support from China’s central bank, and China Construction Bank will contribute 50 billion yuan, a source said.

China’s policy banks and local governments have also been setting up funds to help cash-strapped developers finish building pre-sold properties, as non-payment protests by home buyers have reportedly spread to more than 340 projects.

 

  • Reuters with additional editing by Jim Pollard

 

 

ALSO SEE:

 

China State Firms Buy Out $1bn Evergrande Stake in Bank

 

Jim Pollard

Jim Pollard is an Australian journalist based in Thailand since 1999. He worked for News Ltd papers in Sydney, Perth, London and Melbourne before travelling through SE Asia in the late 90s. He was a senior editor at The Nation for 17+ years.

logo

AF China Bond