China to cut mortgage rates for existing home loans

BEIJING, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- China will lower mortgage rates on existing home loans to a level similar to those of newly issued housing loans, Pan Gongsheng, governor of the People's Bank of China, said on Tuesday.

The average reduction in mortgage rates for existing home loans is expected to be around 0.5 percentage points, he told a press conference.

The minimum down payment ratio for both first and second homes will be unified, with the nationwide minimum down payment ratio for second homes to be reduced from 25 percent to 15 percent, Pan said.