Quantified news impact based on deduplicated, quality-reviewed events in a single 20-day window.
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The Federal Reserve kept the federal funds rate steady at 3.50% to 3.75% after its July meeting, in a 9-to-3 vote. Three officials dissented, favouring a quarter-point increase. It was the first time in ten years that as many as three policymakers formally broke ranks on the rate direction, highlighting unusual internal division.
The People's Bank of China announced it will conduct overnight reverse repo operations totaling 2.1 trillion yuan (RMB 2.1 trillion) over several days. The operations are intended to manage short-term liquidity in the banking system, reflecting the central bank's effort to maintain stable funding conditions.
China's service sector value added reached 41.4 trillion yuan in the first half of 2024, up 5.2% year-on-year, outpacing overall economic growth by 0.5 percentage points and accounting for 59.5% of GDP. The sector contributed 66.1% to economic growth, with Q2 alone contributing 69.4%. Sub-sectors such as information technology and leasing services grew strongly. The State Council issued an opinion in April to expand capacity and improve quality. Service trade deficit narrowed about 20%, and foreign capital in services accounted for 72% of total.
The Federal Reserve kept the federal funds rate at 3.5% to 3.75% in July, but divisions erupted as three regional bank presidents dissented in favor of a quarter-point increase. The 9-3 vote, with opposition from Cleveland, Minneapolis and Dallas Fed chiefs, marked a sharp shift from June’s unanimous decision and represented the fifth consecutive pause. While some global tech firms reported solid second-quarter earnings, their share prices came under pressure and the US Treasury yield curve steepened. The central bank reiterated that inflation remains elevated, partly owing to shocks.
Competition for US dollar deposits among Chinese banks is intensifying. Hang Seng Bank (China) is offering a limited-time promotion in July 2026, with new customers earning up to 4% annualized on one-month deposits. East Asia Bank offers rates of 3.4% for three months and 3.55% for six months on deposits of US$50,000 or more. Nanjing Bank offers 3.42% on one-year deposits of US$200,000. Large state-owned banks offer around 2.8% for one-year deposits. The yuan has appreciated over 3% this year and over 5% in the past year.
Guangdong's banking and insurance sectors led the nation in H1 core indicators, including total assets, liabilities, deposits, loans, insurance premiums, and underwriting profits. Manufacturing loans rose by RMB 560.4 billion, with over 40% directed to high-tech manufacturing. Foreign trade enterprise loans grew 11.44%, and export credit insurance coverage increased 7.3%. Regional loan growth in northern Guangdong reached 6.22%, while small business and agriculture loans expanded 9.25% and 6.04% respectively.
Quotas for 318 commercial banks' interbank deposit certificates totalled RMB 30.3 trillion in 2026, down RMB 1.6 trillion or 5% from 2025, reversing a sustained growth trend. The filing was delayed until July, reflecting weak real-economy financing demand and an asset shortage as deposit growth outpaced loan growth. RMB loan growth hit a record low of 5.2% in June 2026. Adjustments were uneven: Industrial Bank cut its quota by RMB 600 billion, while Agricultural Bank of China and China Construction Bank raised theirs.
As of end-June 2026, only 153 banks still offered proprietary wealth management products, with total outstanding scale of RMB 2.48 trillion, declining for two consecutive quarters. Many small and medium banks saw significant reductions, while a few bucked the trend. Wealth management subsidiaries' market share reached 92.13%, and cross-bank distribution channels expanded to 656 institutions. The industry is shifting from self-issuance to agency distribution.
As of end-June 2026, the bank wealth management market had RMB 33.66 trillion in outstanding products, up 1.11% from the start of the year and 9.75% year-on-year. There were 51,200 products, up 10.58% from the start. New products raised RMB 39.21 trillion. Investors earned RMB 305.2 billion, with an average annualized return of 2.05%. Wealth management subsidiaries held 92.63% of the market, with their scale up 13.46% year-on-year.
HSBC Holdings plans to sell its Australian loan portfolio valued at over A$30 billion (approximately HK$164.6 billion) to Blackstone Group, marking the private equity firm's entry into the Australian home loan market. The sale follows failed negotiations with National Australia Bank and Macquarie Group, while KKR, Apollo Global Management, and Cerberus Capital Management had also expressed interest.