China's loan prime rates remain unchanged

BEIJING, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- China's one-year loan prime rate (LPR), a market-based benchmark lending rate, came in at 3 percent Monday, unchanged from the previous month.

The over-five-year LPR, on which many lenders base their mortgage rates, also remained unchanged from the previous reading of 3.5 percent, according to the National Interbank Funding Center.

LPRs reflect the level of financing costs for households and businesses. Lower rates will ease the burden on borrowers, leading to more investment and consumption.

Despite the LPRs staying unchanged since June 2025, interest rates on newly issued loans have continued to hover at low levels.

Latest data shows that in November, the weighted average rate for new corporate loans stood at 3.1 percent, down by approximately 30 basis points from the same period last year. The weighted average rate for new personal housing loans also registered 3.1 percent, about 3 basis points lower than a year earlier.

China will maintain a more proactive fiscal policy and a moderately loose monetary policy in 2026, according to the Central Economic Work Conference held earlier this month.