THE PEOPLE’S BANK OF CHINA (PBOC)’s announcement that it was cutting banks’ reserve requirement ratio by a quarter of a percentage point from April 25 was well signalled.
It is likely the first in a series of small stimulus measures as authorities seek to counter the slowing of the economy in the face of the country’s worst wave of Covid outbreaks and soaring food, energy and metals commodity prices due to the war in Ukraine.
Premier Li Keqiang has stressed the need to ensure that economic growth picks up in the second quarter. Economic stability is the new watchword.
Monday’s first-quarter preliminary GDP figures are unlikely to make pretty reading. Year on year growth is expected to slow from 4.0% to around 3.5%, and quarter-on-quarter growth from 1.6% to barely 1.0%. The accompanying industrial production and retail sales numbers will also likely be soft.
Beijing will find it difficult to reach its 5.5% growth target this year, but there is no sign yet that it will be jettisoned.
China Bystander 
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