Citi(US:C)2025-04-21 03:00Investment Rating - The report suggests a positive outlook for the economy, indicating that monetary policy actions may be necessary to support growth amid trade disputes [1][6]. Core Insights - New credit data for March exceeded expectations, with new RMB loans at RMB3,640 billion and total social financing (TSF) at RMB5,888 billion, suggesting a solid economic condition prior to the escalation of trade disputes in April [3][5]. - The report highlights a sequential improvement in credit growth, with outstanding RMB loans growing at 8.4% YoY and TSF growth at 7.4% YoY, marking the first improvement since early 2023 [3][4]. - The housing market showed signs of weakness in April, with primary sales in the top 30 cities down 15.4% YoY, indicating a need for policy intervention to stabilize the economy [5][17]. - The anticipated sequence of monetary policy actions includes liquidity support, a reserve requirement ratio (RRR) cut, and a rate cut, with expectations of 100 basis points of RRR cuts and 40 basis points of rate cuts for the year [1][6]. Summary by Sections Credit Growth - New household short-term loans reached RMB484 billion and long-term loans rose to RMB505 billion in March, indicating a recovery in household borrowing [7]. - Corporate short-term loans were strong at RMB1,440 billion compared to RMB980 billion in March of the previous year, while long-term loans remained stable [7][16]. Monetary Policy Outlook - The report anticipates that monetary policy actions could resume in the second quarter of 2025, with a focus on liquidity support for exporters and potential RRR and rate cuts [1][6]. - The report notes that uncertainties remain high, particularly regarding tariff exemptions and semiconductor policies [6]. Government Bond Issuance - Government bond issuance was robust, reaching RMB1,483 billion in March, contributing to the overall financing environment [7][12].