China’s investors left wanting after ministry keeps mum on stimulus plan

Without measures to excite a volatile market, a high-profile conference from China’s Ministry of Finance leaves investors disappointed

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China’s investors did not get the news they were hoping for after a Ministry of Finance press conference. Photo: AFP

Published: 3:00pm, 12 Oct 2024Updated: 12:08pm, 16 Oct 2024

China’s Ministry of Finance did not deliver a broad-based fiscal stimulus package at a Saturday press conference, instead pledging stronger action to deal with local government debt and the property market – two areas of concern weighing down the country’s economic growth.

However, analysts still expect some mild stimulus measures from the ministry, including an increase to the fiscal deficit ratio from the current 3 per cent, more issuance of ultra-long special treasury bonds and local government bonds as well as tax cuts.

The ministry presented a number of changes at the one-hour conference intended to aid localities and the financial system, including raising debt ceilings and tapping funding from an unused government bond quota, fiscal support for the property market and capital replenishment for major state-owned banks.

Cash-strapped local governments could rely on a total of 2.3 trillion yuan (US$325.3 billion) in special bond funding for the last three months of the year, said finance minister Lan Foan.

The central government will also introduce a one-time, large-scale debt ceiling increase to swap local governments’ hidden debts, which the minister called “the most powerful measure to support debt reduction introduced in recent years”.

Regarding the property sector, deputy finance minister Liao Min said local governments will be allowed to use special bonds to purchase idle land and commercial homes from troubled developers.