Chinese bank stocks experienced a broad decline. As of press time, CCB (00939) fell 3.38% to HK$7.71, ICBC (01398) dropped 2.69% to HK$6.16, BANK OF CHINA (03988) declined 2.2% to HK$4.45, and CM BANK (03968) slid 1.96% to HK$52.65.
A research report from China Post Securities noted that a significant volume of fixed-term deposits is expected to mature between December this year and March next year. This could further drive down the risk-free interest rate on residents' existing assets, potentially accelerating the shift of household deposits into insurance products. Meanwhile, supported by new policy-driven financial instruments, fixed-asset investment growth in key regions may see notable improvement.
Galaxy Securities highlighted that the reduction in risk factors for insurance capital's stock investments has been implemented, encouraging more medium- to long-term funds to enter the market. This move is expected to bring incremental capital to the banking sector, benefiting index-weighted stocks.
The extension of China Vanke's bond repayments remains an isolated incident, with banks' exposure to real estate-related risks relatively low. While asset quality impact is largely controllable, ongoing attention to real estate credit risks is warranted.
With the "Big Four" state-owned banks set to distribute interim dividends soon, listed banks overall are maintaining strong dividend payouts, with an accelerated schedule. A concentrated dividend distribution window in December will further highlight their value as high-dividend stocks.
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