英闻天下——429 NBS Statistics-Rising Property Prices

 　　Latest statistics show that prices for new houses rose more steeply in more Chinese cities in February, putting the government in an increasingly complex situation of regulating the bubble-ridden market. Our reporter Li Dong has the details.

 

　　Of a statistical¹ pool of 70 major Chinese cities monitored by the National Bureau of Statistics or NBS, 66 cities saw new house prices increase within 3.1 percent in February from a month earlier, while three saw prices remain unchanged and only one reported price falls.

 

　　The figures indicate warming in the housing market since January, when 53 cities reported a growth margin² of no more than 2.2 percent.

 

　　New house prices in Beijing and Guangzhou saw the largest increase of 3.1 percent on a month-on-month basis, followed by Shanghai and Shenzhen with price hikes of 2.3 percent and 2.2 percent, respectively.

 

　　NBS says in a statement on its website, on a year-on-year basis, 62 cities registered rising prices, with Guangzhou showing the biggest rise, of 8.2 percent, up drastically from January's highest growth rate of 4.7 percent. Beijing recorded the second-largest year-on-year growth of 7.7 percent.

 

　　Meanwhile, of the 70 monitored cities, 66 saw increasing second-hand³ house prices in February, with the largest increase rate reaching 2.2 percent. On a year-on-year basis, 49 cities registered rising second-hand house prices, while three saw prices unchanged and 18 reported drops in prices.

 

　　Amid expectations for rising house prices, China's central government issued rules to further tighten⁴ controls on the property market on March 1. The government says in an online notice that house owners who sell their houses will be levied⁵ an income tax as high as 20 percent on the profit they make on a transaction.

 

　　Prior to the new rules, the income tax levied was 1 percent to 2 percent of the sale price. Echoing the new property control rules, many cities are experiencing pre-owned home transaction peaks before the new rules are implemented⁶.

 

　　Chen Guoqiang, vice⁷ chairman of China Real Estate Society says there will be a slow correction in housing prices after the general public has a better understanding of the rules.

 

　　"I believe that the five new regulations will have positive influence on guiding market expectations so as to tame the overheating market."

 

　　Chen forecast that the currently hot second-hand housing market would soon cool and the sales volume will plummet⁸ as detailed⁹ rules and regulations are set in place in different provinces.

 

　　"In fact, the new housing policy, the property inventory¹⁰, supply and demand of the market and some other factors, such as the current policies that emphasize the increase of residential¹¹ land supply and effective market supply; all will have positive significance on the steady development of the housing market."

 

　　Since 2010, the Chinese government has adopted a range of measures, including restricting third-home purchases and introducing property tax trials, to reel in the runaway¹² real estate market, which has been the country's key economic driver in recent years.

 

　　However, home prices started to rebound¹³ unexpectedly in the second half of 2012, shored up by the country's pro-growth policies, including two consecutive¹⁴ interest rate cuts and the lowering of banks' reserve requirement ratios.

 

　　New home prices of a statistical pool of 100 Chinese cities surveyed by the China Index Academy averaged over 9,800 yuan or 1,500 US dollars per square meter, representing growth for a ninth straight month since June.

 

　　For CRI, I am Li Dong.

1 statistical   

adj.统计的，统计学的

参考例句：

• He showed the price fluctuations in a statistical table.他用统计表显示价格的波动。
• They're making detailed statistical analysis.他们正在做具体的统计分析。

2 margin   

n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘

参考例句：

• We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

3 second-hand   

adj.用过的，旧的，二手的

参考例句：

• I got this book by chance at a second-hand bookshop.我赶巧在一家旧书店里买到这本书。
• They will put all these second-hand goods up for sale.他们将把这些旧货全部公开出售。

4 tighten   

v.(使)变紧；(使)绷紧

参考例句：

• Turn the screw to the right to tighten it.向右转动螺钉把它拧紧。
• Some countries tighten monetary policy to avoid inflation.一些国家实行紧缩银根的货币政策，以避免通货膨胀。

5 levied   

征（兵）( levy的过去式和过去分词 )； 索取； 发动（战争）； 征税

参考例句：

• Taxes should be levied more on the rich than on the poor. 向富人征收的税应该比穷人的多。
• Heavy fines were levied on motoring offenders. 违规驾车者会遭到重罚。

6 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

7 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

8 plummet   

vi.(价格、水平等)骤然下跌；n.铅坠；重压物

参考例句：

• Mengniu and Yili have seen their shares plummet since the incident broke.自事件发生以来，蒙牛和伊利的股票大幅下跌。
• Even if rice prices were to plummet,other brakes on poverty alleviation remain.就算大米价格下跌，其它阻止导致贫困的因素仍然存在。

9 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

10 inventory   

n.详细目录，存货清单

参考例句：

• Some stores inventory their stock once a week.有些商店每周清点存货一次。
• We will need to call on our supplier to get more inventory.我们必须请供应商送来更多存货。

11 residential   

adj.提供住宿的；居住的；住宅的

参考例句：

• The mayor inspected the residential section of the city.市长视察了该市的住宅区。
• The residential blocks were integrated with the rest of the college.住宿区与学院其他部分结合在了一起。

12 runaway   

n.逃走的人，逃亡，亡命者；adj.逃亡的，逃走的

参考例句：

• The police have not found the runaway to date.警察迄今没抓到逃犯。
• He was praised for bringing up the runaway horse.他勒住了脱缰之马受到了表扬。

13 rebound   

v.弹回；n.弹回，跳回

参考例句：

• The vibrations accompanying the rebound are the earth quake.伴随这种回弹的振动就是地震。
• Our evil example will rebound upon ourselves.我们的坏榜样会回到我们自己头上的。

14 consecutive   

adj.连续的，联贯的，始终一贯的

参考例句：

• It has rained for four consecutive days.已连续下了四天雨。
• The policy of our Party is consecutive.我党的政策始终如一。