中國第一季經濟數據捎來正面信號

2020是歷史性的一年。因應新冠病毒而實施前所未有的封鎖措施,導致全球經濟衰退、股市動盪。疫情最先開始的中國,第一季GDP年減6.8%,是40年來首度出現負成長;但令人振奮的是,大多數經濟活動均已於3月初恢復,其中房地產類股表現尤其亮眼。

新冠疫情對於中國經濟的衝擊力道到底有多大?中國2020年初創下40年來首次萎縮的紀錄,結束了自1970年代以來從未間斷的成長期;第一季中國的國內生產總值(GDP)年減6.8%,低於市場預期的-5.0%1

儘管GDP令人失望,但意外的是,在數據公布當日(2020年4月17日),中國A股市場竟出現反彈,滬深300指數上漲約1%。深入探究,中國3月份多項經濟數據跌勢已經縮小,顯示隨著疫情緩和,中國經濟狀況正在改善,反映在股市表現自然優於落後公布的GDP數字。

房地產投資反而表現亮眼

面對新冠肺炎的眾多影響,其中一項危機是全球供應鏈「斷鏈」及需求不振,對日本企業的影響可見於圖一,日本PMI服務業採購經理人指數與消費者信心指數在2020年以來迅速下滑,反應了市場對疫情影響未知的預期。 

  • 製造業持續低迷,3月份年減20.6%,再次創下兩位數衰退紀錄
  • 基礎設施投資收縮幅度已降至8%
  • 房地產投資逆勢成長1.2%

圖一:固定資產投資的成長 positive-signs-from-china-fig1

進一步從房地產統計數據來看,也顯示該類資產的反彈。例如,3月份新開工量及房地產銷售年增率分別收窄至-10%和-14%,遠低於1月和2月報告的-45%和-40%(見圖二)。更好的消息是,3月份的建築竣工面積僅比去年下降0.9%,這表示房地產活動有所恢復。

圖二:中國房地產新開工與銷售

positive-signs-from-china_chart-2

隨著中國各地區陸續復工,加上政府透過發行大量地方債支持市場流動性,使得4月份投資活動進一步復甦。

政策展望:是否鬆綁房地產相關管制措施?

新冠疫情直接衝擊民生經濟與房地產,勢必會影響中國政府過往打壓房地產市場的各項措施,我們研判,更可能的模式是依照不同城市進行微調,而非全面放鬆。

儘管部分地方政府出台了一些放寬購房的政策,但許多很快就被召回,正說明著『房住不炒,因城施策』的長期政策基調仍然不變。中國政府近期透過調降貸款市場報價利率(LPR)影響市場抵押貸款利率2,一年期利率下調20個基點(從4.05%到3.85%),而五年期則調降10個基點(從4.75%到4.65%),一年期與五年期利率調整幅度不同呈現非對稱的降息,也就是說,不太可能全國性放寬房地產調控政策。

然而,這也不代表房地產控管將與去年一樣嚴格。中國經濟下行壓力越大,地方政府將有誘因鬆綁房產限制,這將持續探測中央政府住房措施的底線;同時,寬鬆的貨幣政策與信貸額度,加上更低的利率,都將對房產活動的鬆綁產生積極影響。

中國經濟復甦是否得以持續?

出口衰退所帶來的衝擊,現在可能才剛開始顯現。全球大部分國家3月開始實施封鎖,因此今年第一季度出口數據尚無法全面反映全球經濟危機的影響。但證據顯示,自3月中旬以來取消的海外訂單數量不斷增加,意味著在未來幾個月,出口的衝擊可能更加嚴重。

中國政府4月再度強調「六穩、六保」宏觀調控任務,其中六保包括:保居民就業、保基本民生、保市場主體、保糧食能源安全、保產業鏈供應鏈穩定、保基層運轉,加上前幾年提出的六穩「穩就業、穩金融、穩外貿、穩外資、穩投資、穩預期」。目前更專注於「就業」,「就業」可能取代「GDP增長」,成為今年首要的經濟重點。

儘管3月份的城市失業率低於2月份,但勞力密集型出口產業仍舊面臨挑戰,更高的潛在失業率可能為家庭收入及企業投資帶來壓力。未來的出口和勞動力市場數據將是決定中國經濟復甦快慢的關鍵,瀚亞投資也將持續關注中國市場各項數據與投資機會,投資人亦可積極掌握經濟數據所捎來的正面訊號,掌握低點布局機會。 

Sources:
1 China’s National Bureau of Statistics.
2 Reuters: China cuts key rate for second time this year, more easing likely, 20 April 2020.

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