China to cut individual housing provident fund loan rates by 0.25 percentage points

China will cut the loan rates of individual housing provident fund by 0.25 percentage points, the central bank announced Friday.

Starting May 18, the interest rate of first-home loans that mature within or at five years will be set at 2.35 percent, while the over-five-year rate will be slashed to 2.85 percent, the People's Bank of China said on its website.

For second-home purchases, the interest rate of loans that mature within or at five years will be no lower than 2.775 percent, while the over-five-year rate will be no lower than 3.325 percent.

The housing provident fund is a long-term housing savings plan made up of compulsory monthly deposits by both employers and employees. It can only be used by employees for house-related expenses.