PBOC leaves Loan Prime Rates unchanged in August

Lallalit Srijandorn FXStreet

The People’s Bank of China (PBOC), China's central bank, announced to leave its Loan Prime Rates (LPRs) unchanged on Wednesday. The one-year and five-year LPRs were at 3.00% and 3.50%, respectively.

Market reaction to the PBoC interest rate decision

At the time of writing, the AUD/USD pair is trading 0.02% lower on the day to trade at 0.6452.

PBOC FAQs

What does the People's Bank of China do?

The primary monetary policy objectives of the People's Bank of China (PBoC) are to safeguard price stability, including exchange rate stability, and promote economic growth. China’s central bank also aims to implement financial reforms, such as opening and developing the financial market.

Who owns the PBoC?

The PBoC is owned by the state of the People's Republic of China (PRC), so it is not considered an autonomous institution. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Committee Secretary, nominated by the Chairman of the State Council, has a key influence on the PBoC’s management and direction, not the governor. However, Mr. Pan Gongsheng currently holds both of these posts.

What are the main policy tools used by the PBoC?

Unlike the Western economies, the PBoC uses a broader set of monetary policy instruments to achieve its objectives. The primary tools include a seven-day Reverse Repo Rate (RRR), Medium-term Lending Facility (MLF), foreign exchange interventions and Reserve Requirement Ratio (RRR). However, The Loan Prime Rate (LPR) is China’s benchmark interest rate. Changes to the LPR directly influence the rates that need to be paid in the market for loans and mortgages and the interest paid on savings. By changing the LPR, China’s central bank can also influence the exchange rates of the Chinese Renminbi.

Are private banks allowed in China?

Yes, China has 19 private banks – a small fraction of the financial system. The largest private banks are digital lenders WeBank and MYbank, which are backed by tech giants Tencent and Ant Group, per The Straits Times. In 2014, China allowed domestic lenders fully capitalized by private funds to operate in the state-dominated financial sector.

Author

Lallalit Srijandorn

FXStreet

Lallalit Srijandorn is a Parisian at heart. She has lived in France since 2019 and now becomes a digital entrepreneur based in Paris and Bangkok.

EUR/USD stays weak above 1.1750 ahead of German/ EU PMI data

EUR/USD remains on the back foot above 1.1850 in the European session on Friday, well within striking distance of a nearly one-month low set the previous day. Unabated US Dollar demand and nervousness ahead of the German and Eurozone business PMI data keep the pair undermined.

GBP/USD recovers above 1.3450 after strong UK Retail Sales data

GBP/USD is recovering ground above 1.3450 in European trading on Friday, helped by a modest uptick in the Pound Sterling after a bigger-than-expected increase in the UK Retail Sales for January. However, the further upside appears limited in the pair amid persistent US Dollar strength and ahead of key UK and US data.

Gold rises for third day on geopolitical risks, US data eyed

Gold gains some positive traction for the third consecutive day on Friday. The upside potential, however, seems limited amid the mixed fundamental backdrop. Moreover, traders might opt to wait for the key US macro releases – the Advance Q4 GDP report and the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index – before placing fresh directional bets.

Bitcoin, Ethereum and Ripple remain range-bound as breakdown risks rise

Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple are trading sideways within consolidation ranges on Friday, signaling a lack of directional bias in the broader crypto market. BTC rebounded from key support, and ETH is nearing the lower consolidation boundary, while XRP is holding at its lower trendline boundary.

Hawkish Fed minutes and a market finding its footing

It was green across the board for US Stock market indexes at the close on Wednesday, with most S&P 500 names ending higher, adding 38 points (0.6%) to 6,881 overall. At the GICS sector level, energy led gains, followed by technology and consumer discretionary, while utilities and real estate posted the largest losses.

Official Trump price approaches breakout with mixed signals from traders

Official Trump (TRUMP) is trading at $3.50 at the time of writing, approaching its upper consolidation range. A breakout from this range could open the door for an upside move. On-chain data shows market indecision, with balanced flows between bulls and bears, signaling a lack of clear directional bias.