Hypermarket Chain C.P. Lotus Posts First-Half Loss – and more of Today’s China Real Estate Links | August 14, 2012

Here is a list of the day’s latest China real estate news collected from around the web:

• Hypermarket Chain C.P. Lotus Posts First-Half Loss

  C.P. Lotus, the China-focused hypermarket chain led by the family of Thai billionaire Dhanin Chearavanont, said on Friday it lost 78.8 million yuan, or $12 million, in the first six months of the year. Lotus, the latest major retailer in China to report poor results, had said last month that it expected to post a loss. Compared with its loss in the first six months of 2012,  Lotus earned 18.5 million yuan a year earlier, according to an announcement after the close of trade in Hong Kong Stock Exchange on Friday.  First-half sales rose to 5.3 billion yuan from 4.9 billion yuan.

• Beijing mulls more steps to cool property market

  In the midst of the rebounding real estate market, the central government is considering new curbs for the property market, a source close to top decision-makers says. The source said that affordable housing could give a boost to the economy, but the central government was unsatisfied with the pace of construction of such homes.

• China’s property market to cool down: experts

  A recent rebound in China’s home prices will not continue, as the country will not ease its property tightening measures for the sake of economic growth, experts said at an industry forum held in south China’s Hainan province from Thursday to Saturday. The consensus was made by analysts and industry insiders at the Bo’ao Real Estate Forum held in the city of Bo’ao. The government’s tightening measures, implemented in 2010 to bring home prices down, have included restrictions on home purchases in several cities, higher down payments and property taxes.

• S&P: Credit Conditions Stabilizing For Chinese Developers

  Signs of stabilization are emerging for the Chinese property sector, with improving operating and credit conditions in recent months. That’s according to a recently released report by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, titled “Top 10 Investor Questions: Chinese Real Estate Developers.” “Tough times still lie ahead for many industry players, particularly in the residential space, but we’re seeing some bright spots,” said Standard & Poor’s credit analyst Bei Fu.

• China’s Government Proclaims Real Estate Curbs Effective

  Officials from the State Council are generally satisfied with the implementation of real estate curbs in most of the 16 major provinces and cities after two to three weeks’ investigation since last month, and only one city, Jiangmen in Guangdong Province, was criticized for slack implementation as of Sunday, according to local media reports. Industry watchers hold different views on whether stricter curbs will be imposed on the sector following the investigation. The central government dispatched eight teams to investigate the implementation of property curbs in late July, prompted by the recent rebound in home prices. Local media in the provinces and cities under investigation have reported that investigators were satisfied with the investigation results.

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