Beijing, Jan 1 (AFP/APP):China’s central bank announced Wednesday it was cutting the reserve requirements for banks, freeing up about $114 billion to boost lending and spur the slowing economy.
The People’s Bank of China will cut the reserve requirement ratio (RRR) on January 6 by 50 basis points, it said in a statement, reducing the amount of cash banks must hold. Lowering the RRR for banks frees up more money for lending to small businesses.
The central bank cut the requirement three times in 2019 to bolster the Chinese economy, which grew at the slowest rate in three decades last year. State news agency Xinhua said the latest cut will “offset the impacts of cash demand” ahead of the Spring Festival in late January.
