China is considering a fresh round of property-market support measures as the sector’s downturn continues to threaten financial stability, according to people familiar with internal discussions. Policymakers, including the housing ministry, are reviewing proposals such as nationwide mortgage subsidies for first-time buyers, larger income-tax rebates for mortgage holders, and lower transaction costs for home purchases.
The package has been under evaluation since at least the third quarter as home sales and prices extended their decline. Officials have yet to determine the final policy mix or timing, but the deliberations signal rising concern inside Beijing over the prolonged slump in the real estate sector and its spillover risks to banks and local government finances.
—China property sector shares are higher on the report
