House prices fell in China’s top-tier cities in February compared to the previous month, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed Monday.

The price of new homes in Shenzhen’s fell 0.6 percent month-on-month, after it stabilized in January. Prices in Beijing declined 0.3 percent after posting a 0.2 percent increase in the previous month, NBS data showed.

Overall, China’s new home price growth slowed in February, as a raft of government curbs aimed at tempering speculative demand softened prices in the biggest cities, although overall growth remained firm.

Average new home prices in China’s 70 major cities rose 0.2 percent in February from the previous month, compared with an increase of 0.3 percent in January.

Compared with a year ago, they rose 5.2 percent in the month, picking up from a 5 percent increase in January.

The majority of the 70 cities surveyed by the NBS still reported monthly price increases for new homes although the number has dropped from the previous month. Forty-four cities reported higher prices in February, down from January’s 52.

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China’s home price growth began to slow in the second half of 2017 as the government sought to deal with bubbles in its property markets, following almost two years of rapid expansion.

Property sales have shown signs of easing in recent months despite expectations of a spike in demand as developers ramp up promotions during the week-long Lunar New Year holidays when migrant workers head home.

But analysts have remained optimistic about demand in smaller tier-3 and tier-4 cities thanks to favorable government policies aimed at reducing inventories.

Authorities are seeking to balance attempts to support real economic activity with efforts to rein in risks from an increasingly complex financial system.

Household loans - mainly mortgages - increased by 275.1 billion yuan in February, well below expectations and sharply down on January’s record of 901.6 billion yuan.

China’s policymakers have vowed to pursue a stable and healthy development of the property market this year, emphasizing that homes are for living in, not speculative investment.

China will focus more on providing affordable housing and developing the rental market, Premier Li Keqiang announced earlier this month.

The country is also steadily pushing for a property tax law this year and expect it completed by 2020.(FROM CGTN)