Chinese Lenders Are Slowing Down. Will US Real Estate Suffer?
New York’s commercial real estate market is about to have its strongest post-crisis year, and it has foreign buyers—who've been snapping up offices and boosting prices—to thank. Bank of China in particular has been super aggressive in its lending, stepping in when US banks reduced their loan size and market exposure and making more overseas loans than any other Chinese bank. Lending more money ever year, the Chinese finally slowed down in 2015 as their economy has slowed and delinquent loans have increased. The fact that the Bank of China also has to assist with China’s stock market recovery isn't helping matters.
It’s uncertain exactly how China’s downturn will affect the domestic and global commercial real estate market and prices, although most are positive that we won’t be seeing many loans from the Bank of China in the next few months. But, with some predicting that the Bank of China’s overseas assets will be more than 40% of total assets by 2018, the bank’s main troubles may lie at home. [Quartz]
