SHANGHAI, Feb 1 (Reuters) – China’s banking regulator has ordered lenders to conduct checks on whether any of their loans have illegally gone into the stock or property markets, a banking source told Reuters on Monday, the latest step in a clampdown on excessive lending and rising asset prices.
Credit found used for improper purposes must be withdrawn within a certain period of time, said the source, who had seen the relevant notice from the regulator. He did not elaborate on the timeframe.
The order from the China Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC) marks further efforts by Beijing to rein in rampant lending and ensure that credit is being used to generate genuine economic activity and not simply to fuel speculation in stocks and property.
“The CBRC has recently found that some banks have loosened management of their lending practices, some industrial companies have illegally used bank credit to invest in stocks and property, while some individuals have used consumer loans to trade stocks,” said the source.
It is not unusual for the CBRC to issue such orders, though it is unclear how it will actually implement them.
