央行超預期下調政策利率，穩增長措施再加碼
Headquarters of the People's Bank of China (PBOC), the central bank, is pictured in Beijing, China. [Photo/Agencies]
8月15日，人民銀行開展4000億元中期借貸便利（MLF）操作，中標利率下調10個基點至2.75％，7天期逆回購利率同步下調10個基點至2％，為尚需穩固的國內經濟注入金融強心劑。面對尚不穩固的經濟恢復基礎，宏觀政策仍以穩增長為主線，擇機加碼調控，積極對沖經濟下行壓力。
China's central bank delivered surprise interest rate cuts on Monday, suggesting that the country is still willing to lend more monetary support on the aggregate front in the coming months despite a potential rise in structural inflationary pressure, experts said.
專家表示，中國人民銀行8月15日超預期下調政策利率，表明儘管結構性通脹壓力可能上升，但在未來幾個月貨幣政策將繼續從總量上發力。
Thanks to Monday's rate cuts, the country's loan prime rates－or the market-driven benchmark lending rates－are likely to see reductions this month, helping revive corporate credit demand and mitigate a real estate slowdown, they said.
他們表示，這次降息促使中國最優惠貸款利率（由市場驅動的基準貸款利率）本月可能會下降，這有助於恢復企業信貸需求，支持房地產市場回暖。
The People's Bank of China conducted 400 billion yuan ($59.2 billion) in medium-term lending facility operations on Monday at an interest rate of 2.75 percent, down from 2.85 percent a month earlier.
8月15日，央行開展4000億元中期借貸便利（MLF）操作，中標利率為2.75%，低於上個月2.85%的利率。
Using the MLF rate as a key policy benchmark, the PBOC had kept it unchanged for six months until Monday's reduction. The interest rate of seven-day reverse repurchase agreements was also trimmed by 10 basis points to 2 percent on Monday.
在央行15日降息前，MLF操作利率已經連續6個月保持不變。8月15日，七天逆回購利率也下調了10個基點至2%。
Most market participants had not expected the central bank to launch the rate cuts as it had flagged the risk of structural inflationary pressure and its intention to fend off cross-border capital outflow risks amid overseas monetary tightening in a report last week.
此前多數觀點認為央行恐難降息。因為央行在上週的一份報告中強調警惕結構性通脹壓力，並準備在海外央行加快收緊步伐的背景下抵禦跨境資本外流風險。
Upon the unexpected rate cuts, futures contracts for China's government bonds rose on Monday. Main contracts for 10-year, five-year and two-year government bond futures ended Monday's trading up 0.7 percent, 0.52 percent and 0.19 percent, respectively, according to market tracker Wind Info.
此次央行超預期降息後，國債期貨上漲。Wind數據顯示，截至15日收盤，10年期國債期貨主力合約漲0.70%，5年期主力合約漲0.52%，2年期主力合約漲0.19%。
Experts said Monday's rate cuts will reassure the market about the central bank's priority of growth stabilization among multiple policy goals, especially as the latest economic and financial data have underlined the necessity of strengthening macroeconomic policy support.
專家表示，此次降息表明央行的首要政策目標仍然是穩增長，尤其是最新的經濟和金融數據表明了加強宏觀經濟政策支持的必要性。
The National Bureau of Statistics said on Monday that the country's recovery in consumer and investment activity has slowed due to factors including renewed COVID-19 cases and a real estate downturn.
國家統計局8月15日表示，受疫情和房地產市場低迷等影響，投資、消費增速放緩。
Retail sales rose 2.7 percent year-on-year in July, down from 3.1 percent in June. Fixed-asset investment expanded by 5.7 percent in the January-July period, down from 6.1 percent for the January-June period, dragged by a 6.4 percent decline in real estate development investment, the NBS said.
7月份，社會消費品零售總額同比增長2.7%，低於6月的3.1%。國家統計局數據顯示，受1-7月份全國房地產開發投資下降6.4%的影響，1-7月份全國固定資產投資同比增長5.7%，低於1-6月份的6.1%。
Credit demand also cooled in July as China's increment in aggregate social financing－the total amount of financing to the real economy－stood at 756.1 billion yuan last month, down by 319.1 billion yuan from a year ago, the central bank reported on Friday.
央行8月12日發佈的報告顯示，7月份信貸需求也有所降温，7月社會融資規模增量為7561億元，與去年同期相比減少3191億元。
The MLF rate cut may only be the first step to ramp up monetary support, analysts with Soochow Securities said in a report.
東吳證券分析師在一份報告中表示，MLF降息可能只是增加貨幣政策支持的第一步。
Wen Bin, chief economist at China Minsheng Bank, said the possibility of another interest rate cut cannot be ruled out as the PBOC's policy setting still takes domestic factors as dominant determinants while the pace of the Fed's tightening slows in the US.
中國民生銀行首席經濟學家温彬表示，不能排除央行再次降息的可能性，因為國內因素仍然是影響央行政策制定的決定性因素，而美聯儲的緊縮步伐有所放緩。
Moreover, Wen said it is possible for the PBOC to reduce the reserve requirement ratio in the fourth quarter to boost long-term liquidity and reduce banks' funding costs.
此外，温彬表示，中國人民銀行有可能在第四季度降低存款準備金率，以提高長期流動性，降低銀行的融資成本。
來源：中國日報
編輯：董靜