Major Chinese cities show signs of housing market stabilization in first half

(ECNS) - China's property market showed further signs of stabilization in the first half of 2026, with home sales in major cities supported by government measures and stronger activity in the resale housing market, according to industry data.

A series of policies introduced by central and local governments, including mortgage rate cuts, housing provident fund support and easing of purchase restrictions, helped underpin demand.

Resale homes outperformed the new-home market in several major cities. In Beijing, second-hand home transactions reached 93,583 units in the first half, the highest level in five years, while Shenzhen recorded 36,458 resale transactions, up 5.5% from a year earlier.

Inventory pressures also eased. Data from the Shanghai E-House Real Estate Research Institute showed listings in eight major cities fell to 1.23 million units by the end of June, down 19% from a year earlier.

(By Zhang Jiahao)