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The company logo of Chinese developer Country Garden is pictured at the Shanghai Country Garden Center in Shanghai, China August 9, 2023. It has around $14.8 billion worth of debt due within 12 months, while its cash levels are around $13.8 billion. Country Garden declined to comment. Despite those measures, China's new home prices fell for the fourth month in August, according to a private survey on Friday, as the property debt crisis kept confidence at a low ebb. "Country Garden will probably make full use of the grace periods…it still looks challenging for them to generate enough cash for the upcoming payments, both onshore and offshore," said Ting Meng, a senior credit strategist at ANZ.

Persons: Aly, Edward Al, Ting Meng, Benjamin Bennett, they've, Xie Yu, Davide Barbuscia, Sumeet Chatterjee, Muralikumar Organizations: Shanghai Country Garden, REUTERS, HONG KONG, Country Garden Holdings, HK, Columbia, U.S, Country Garden, ANZ, General Investment Management, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, HONG, Country, Hong Kong, New York

Country Garden also offered on Tuesday to extend repayment of eight onshore bonds worth 10.8 billion yuan ($1.48 billion) by three years, according to people with knowledge of the matter and documents seen by Reuters. Country Garden did not respond to a request for comment. A general view of a construction site of residential buildings by Chinese developer Country Garden in Tianjin, China August 18, 2023. Country Garden has not missed a debt payment obligation, onshore or offshore. "The three-year extension of maturity offered by Country Garden looks better than restructuring plans by most of the other troubled developers," Meng said.

Persons: Gary Ng, Tingshu Wang, Susannah Streeter, Hargreaves Lansdown, DODGE, CreditSights, Ting Meng, Meng, Xie Yu, Shuyan Wang, Jason Xue, Sumeet Chatterjee, Christopher Cushing, Kim Coghill Organizations: HK, Reuters, Country, Natixis Asia Pacific, REUTERS, Services, Global, Hargreaves, Mainland Properties, CSI, ANZ, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, BEIJING, Tianjin, China, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Bengaluru

It is likely to be the biggest of three funds launched by the China Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund, also known as the Big Fund. Its target of 300 billion yuan ($41 billion) outdoes similar funds in 2014 and 2019, which according to government reports, raised 138.7 billion yuan and 200 billion yuan respectively. China's finance ministry is planning to contribute 60 billion yuan, said one person. Backers of the Big Fund's previous two funds include the finance ministry and deep-pocketed state-owned entities such as China Development Bank Capital, China National Tobacco Corporation and China Telecom. INVESTMENT MANAGERSThe Big Fund is considering hiring at least two institutions to invest the new fund's capital, said the three people.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Florence Lo, China's, Julie Zhu, Kevin Huang, Yelin Mo, Roxanne Liu, Sumeet Chatterjee, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: U.S, China Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund, Big Fund, Washington, Information Office, Ministry of Industry, Information Technology, REUTERS, China Development Bank Capital, China National Tobacco Corporation, China Telecom, Big, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation, HK, Hua Hong Semiconductor, Memory Technologies, IC, China Aerospace Investment, China Aerospace Science, Technology Corporation, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, BEIJING, China, Beijing, U.S, Japan, Netherlands

The company logo of Chinese developer Country Garden is pictured at the Shanghai Country Garden Center in Shanghai, China August 9, 2023. She noted that Country Garden and other developers face payments for sizeable maturities this year. In the deal reached after a vote on its proposal late on Friday, Country Garden is now allowed to repay the onshore debt in instalments over three years, instead of meeting its obligations by Sept. 2. After that, the creditors said they expect Country Garden to enter into restructuring negotiations for its entire offshore debt to avoid a "hard default", similar to what it did with the onshore creditors. Country Garden did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Persons: Aly, Tara Hariharan, haven't, Qi Wang, Xie Yu, Joe Cash, Sumeet Chatterjee, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: Shanghai Country Garden, REUTERS, HONG KONG, HK, Management, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, HONG, New York, Hong Kong, Carolina, Beijing

An unprecedented liquidity crisis in China's vast property sector is a major risk to a sputtering post-COVID recovery in the world's second-biggest economy, which has rattled global markets. Country Garden debt payment extension buys time for China's largest private developer to avoid default, and is good news for financial markets and the Chinese government, which has announced a raft of measures to support the property sector. In Friday's vote, 56.08% of participating Country Garden onshore creditors approved the extension, 43.64% opposed and 0.28% abstained, an official document shared with bondholders showed. Country Garden did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A default by Country Garden would have exacerbated the real estate crisis and put more strain on its onshore lenders.

Persons: spiralled, Junan, Zhou Hao, Moody's, Xie Yu, Kevin Huang, Li Gu, Sumeet Chatterjee, William Mallard Organizations: Reuters, HK, China Evergrande, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, Beijing, China, Caa1, Hong Kong, Shanghai

☆ Country Garden: How bad are Chinese property developer's debt problems?
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-02 | by ( Xie Yu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

A view of closed shops in a mall at Country Garden's Forest City development in Johor Bahru, Malaysia August 16, 2023. Who is Country Garden and why do people care about its debt woes? How bad is Country Garden's financial situation? It faces 108.7 billion yuan ($14.9 billion) worth of debts due within 12 months, while its cash levels are around 101.1 billion yuan. It said Country Garden was facing tight liquidity and recovery prospects for bondholders could be weak.

Persons: Edgar Su, Will, Moody's, Xie Yu, Sumeet Chatterjee, David Holmes, Gerry Doyle Organizations: REUTERS, HK, China Evergrande, Thomson Locations: Garden's, City, Johor Bahru, Malaysia, HONG KONG, China, Evergrande, Will Beijing, Beijing, Guangdong, Caa1

HONG KONG/BEJING, Sept 2 (Reuters) - Country Garden (2007.HK) has won approval from its creditors to extend payments for an onshore private bond, two sources said on Saturday, in a major relief for the embattled Chinese property developer as well as the crisis-hit property sector. Country Garden was seeking approval from its creditors to extend the maturity for a 3.9 billion yuan ($540 million) onshore private bond in a vote that ended on Friday night. China's largest private property developer had proposed to repay the debt in instalments over three years instead of meeting its obligations by Saturday. Country Garden did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A default by Country Garden would have exacerbated the country's real estate crisis, put more strain on its onshore lenders and further delayed the prospect of a recovery of the property market.

Persons: spiralled, Xie Yu, Kevin Huang, Li Gu, Sumeet Chatterjee, William Mallard Organizations: HK, Reuters, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai

REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsHONG KONG, Sept 1 (Reuters) - China is set to take further action including relaxing home-purchase restrictions as it scrambles to tackle a deepening crisis in its massive debt-riddled property sector, four people familiar with the matter said. They plan to act as existing policies failed to sustain a sector rebound earlier this year, the people added. The property sector accounts for roughly a quarter of the world's second-largest economy. However, it is in the throes of an unprecedented debt crisis that market participants fear could spread throughout the financial sector at home and beyond. They also reduced the downpayment ratio to no lower than 20% for first-home buyers and no lower than 30% for second-home purchases.

Persons: Aly, Morgan Stanley, Julie Zhu, Jane Xu, Sumeet Chatterjee, Christopher Cushing Organizations: REUTERS, Regulators, Council, Information Office, Reuters, Housing, People's Bank of China, National Administration of Financial, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, HONG KONG, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou

☆ Explainer: Country Garden: How bad are the Chinese property developer's debt problems?
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Xie Yu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

A view of closed shops in a mall at Country Garden's Forest City development in Johor Bahru, Malaysia August 16, 2023. Who is Country Garden and why do people care about its debt woes? Until this year Country Garden was the largest Chinese developer by sales. It faces 108.7 billion yuan ($14.9 billion) worth of debts due within 12 months, while its cash levels are around 101.1 billion yuan. It said Country Garden was facing tight liquidity and recovery prospects for bondholders could be weak.

Persons: Edgar Su, Will, Moody's, Xie Yu, Sumeet Chatterjee, David Holmes Organizations: REUTERS, HK, China Evergrande, Thomson Locations: Garden's, City, Johor Bahru, Malaysia, HONG KONG, China, Evergrande, Will Beijing, Beijing, Guangdong, Caa1

Country Garden is China's largest private developer. Country Garden has been in talks with onshore creditors to extend payments on the private bond and has proposed to repay in instalments over three years instead of meeting its obligations by the deadline on Saturday. "Country Garden may be able to extend its debts, but it does not mean the company and property sector are out of the woods unless home sales rebound." On Wednesday, creditors holding 10.5% of the outstanding principal, added a new proposal where they can vote to immediately call the company in default. The company's extension plan for the onshore private bond calls for payments in seven instalments ending in September 2026.

Persons: Matthew Pestronk, Goldman Sachs, Moody's, Kaven Tsang, Gary Ng, Ng, Xie Yu, Clare Jim, Li Gu, Matt Tracy, Sumeet Chatterjee, Anne Marie Roantree, Jacqueline Wong, Kim Coghill, Susan Fenton Organizations: HK, Post, People's Bank of China, Thursday, Asia Pacific, Thomson Locations: China, HONG KONG, SHANGHAI, Beijing, Hong Kong, Philadelphia, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Caa1, Asia, Shanghai

☆ Some offshore creditors of Country Garden consider forming group for debt revamp talks
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Xie Yu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The company logo of Chinese developer Country Garden is pictured at the Shanghai Country Garden Center in Shanghai, China August 9, 2023. Kobre hosted a call with some of Country Garden's offshore creditors on Tuesday night, during which the law firm laid out Country Garden's primary business units, core assets which include its onshore and offshore property projects. A spokesperson for Country Garden on Wednesday declined to comment when asked by Reuters about the possibility of some offshore bondholders forming a group for debt restructuring talks. Country Garden has been talking with its onshore creditors to extend a 3.9 billion yuan private bond due Saturday. Country Garden's shares fell another 3.3% on Wednesday, taking its losses in the last month alone to more than 40%.

Persons: Aly, HONG KONG, John Han, Kim, Kobre, Han, Xie Yu, Sumeet Chatterjee, Kim Coghill Organizations: Shanghai Country Garden, REUTERS, Kobre, Reuters, Garden, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, HONG, New York, HK, Hong Kong

"We are delighted to see ongoing momentum...we continue to feel good about our growth prospects in Hong Kong," he said. Besides disclosing earnings, Wadhwani announced a strategy that included "targeted investment in structural growth markets" across Asia and Africa. Prudential's annualised premium equivalent (APE) sales, a closely watched gauge of insurance sales, rose 37% to $3 billion on a stronger pickup in sales from Chinese mainland visitors to Hong Kong. Prudential said APE sales in Hong Kong rose more than four times in the first half, and business generated from Chinese mainland visitors enjoyed a "significant increase" following the opening of the border. Reporting by Sumeet Chatterjee in Hong Kong and Carolyn Cohn in London; Editing by Christopher Cushing and Sharon SingletonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Simon Dawson, Prudential's, Anil Wadhwani, Wadhwani, Sumeet Chatterjee, Carolyn Cohn, Christopher Cushing, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Prudential, REUTERS, Prudential PLC, Jefferies, China, Hong Kong, AIA, HK, Consumers, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, HONG KONG, Asia, Hong Kong, Hong, Africa, Hong Kong . Hong Kong, China

☆ Chinese banks to cut existing mortgage rates as property crisis deepens
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The reduction in existing mortgage rates will come amid several other property, economic and market support measures Beijing has announced over the past few weeks, as concerns mount about the health of the world's second-largest economy. Chinese lenders were widely expected to cut interest rates on existing mortgages after the PBOC earlier this month said that it would guide commercial banks to do so. The central bank's proposal to cut rates, which came after a wave of early repayments of mortgage debt, aims to reduce the interest rate costs for homebuyers and to boost consumption in a slowing economy. Adjusting existing mortgage rates is conducive to easing pressure on banks from mortgage prepayment, Lin Li, vice president of Agricultural Bank of China Ltd (601288.SS), the country's No.3 lender by assets, said earlier on Tuesday. Cutting deposit rates could help banks to maintain a proper level of NIM, one of the sources said.

Persons: Tingshu Wang, Zhu Qibing, Lin Li, Fu Wanjun, NIM, Xiangming Hou, Rong Ma, Tang, Ryan Woo, Selena Li, Sumeet Chatterjee, Alex Richardson, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Agricultural Bank of, REUTERS, Bank, BEIJING, People's Bank of China, Reuters, HK, BOC International China, Citigroup, Agricultural Bank of China Ltd, Agricultural Bank, China's, Thomson Locations: Agricultural Bank of China, Beijing, China, Hong Kong

☆ Trustar plans to raise fund to manage McDonald’s China stake -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( Kane Wu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

HONG KONG, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Chinese private equity firm Trustar Capital is planning to raise a so-called continuation fund that would allow it to sell down its stake in McDonald's China, two sources with knowledge of the matter said. That plan would be achieved by Trustar, formerly known as CITIC Capital, transferring some equity interest in McDonald's China from its private equity (PE) fund into the continuation fund, a new investment vehicle that would manage the asset. Currently, Trustar owns 42% of the business, while Carlyle and CITIC own 28% and 10% respectively, according to McDonald's China. Carlyle has also been considering options for its stake in McDonald's China, including setting up a continuation fund, Reuters has reported. "McDonald's China will continue to leverage the capital and other resources from CITIC (Trustar), Carlyle, and McDonald's Corp to achieve the future milestone of 10,000 stores," said McDonald's China.

Persons: Trustar, Mubadala, Carlyle, CITIC, Kane Wu, Yantoultra Ngui, Sophie Yu, Sumeet Chatterjee, Mark Potter Organizations: Trustar, Trustar's PE, McDonald's Corp, CITIC, HK, Carlyle Group, Reuters, Bloomberg, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, McDonald's China, China, Trustar's, Abu, Chicago, CITIC, Hong Kong, Singapore, Beijing

☆ Exclusive: China plans to cut stamp duty on stocks by up to 50% to revive confidence-sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The proposal to reduce the current 0.1% stamp duty on securities trading suggested a cut of either 20% or 50%, which would be the first such reduction since 2008, the two people said. China's securities regulator also met with representatives from top Western asset managers on Friday to reassure them about the country's economic prospects, Reuters reported citing sources. China's fiscal revenue totalled 20.37 trillion yuan ($3.02 trillion) last year, with 276 billion yuan or 1.35% contributed by stamp duty on securities transactions, official data showed. Earlier this month, Bloomberg first reported Chinese authorities were considering cutting the stamp duty on stock trades. "Cutting stamp duty doesn't solve the problems that hamper China's economic growth."

Persons: Aly, Xie Chen, Huang Yan, Huang, Sumeet Chatterjee, Lincoln, Kim Coghill Organizations: REUTERS, Regulators, Ministry of Finance, State Council, Information Office, of Finance, China Securities Regulatory Commission, Shanghai Jianwen Investment Management Co, Bond, Reuters, Bloomberg, Shanghai QiuYang, Shanghai, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, HONG KONG, BEIJING, Beijing, Hong Kong

☆ Exclusive: China plans to cut stamp duty on stock trading by up to 50% to revive sentiment-sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The proposal to reduce the current 0.1% stamp duty on securities trading suggested a cut of either 20% or 50%, which would be the first such cut since 2008, the two people said. The CSRC also said stablising the stock market was a priority. "A cut in stamp duty (on stock trading) can help decrease investment cost and boost trading activity," analysts at broker Topsperity Securities said in a note. "Compared with previous policy measures, a cut in stamp duty may have a stronger effect in repairing investor confidence. Earlier this month, Bloomberg first reported Chinese authorities were considering cutting the stamp duty on stock trades.

Persons: Sumeet Chatterjee Organizations: Ministry of Finance, State Council, Information Office, of Finance, China Securities Regulatory Commission, Bond, Reuters, Topsperity Securities, Bloomberg, Shanghai, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, BEIJING, headwinds, Beijing, Hong Kong, Lincoln

☆ China regulator met with foreign investors to alleviate concerns - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( Selena Li | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] People walk past the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) sign at its building on the Financial Street in Beijing, China July 9, 2021. Fang Xinghai, a vice chairman of the CSRC hosted the meeting from Beijing, the sources said. An executive from Fidelity International was among those from the large funds attending, according to one of the sources. Bloomberg first reported the CSRC meeting on Friday. However, the modest stimulus has so far failed to satisfy investors, who want a stronger policy response, including massive government spending.

Persons: Tingshu Wang, HONG KONG, Fang Xinghai, Selena Li, Sumeet Chatterjee, Sharon Singleton Organizations: China Securities Regulatory Commission, REUTERS, Reuters, The China Securities, Regulatory, Fidelity International, Fidelity, Bloomberg, Thomson Locations: China, Beijing, HONG

[1/5] Workers walk out of a construction site of residential buildings by Chinese developer Country Garden, in Tianjin, China August 18, 2023. Both sites are run by Country Garden, China's largest developer by sales volume before this year, now mired in a debt crisis threatening to spill over to the wider economy. Once considered one of the more financially sound developers, Country Garden is now a bellwether of how the cycle has turned for developers. Country Garden built its success by quickly selling a large number of units for low margins and by promising "five-star living" in less popular, smaller cities. Tianjin has about a dozen Country Garden projects, with the majority finished and delivered, said Gao Fei, investment advisory manager at the Tianjin branch of Centaline Property Agency.

Persons: Tingshu Wang, Wang, Wei, Gao Fei, Gao, Laurie Chen, Clare Jim, Sumeet Chatterjee, Sonali Paul Organizations: Workers, REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Construction, Nomura, Centaline Property Agency, Thomson Locations: Tianjin, China, Rights TIANJIN, HK, Beijing, Shenyang Tengyue, Centaline, Hong Kong

China cut its one-year benchmark lending rate on Monday, which is set to further weigh on banks' NIM. Chinese commercial banks' NIM shrank sharply to 1.74% last quarter from 1.91% at the end of 2022, official data showed. Shares of China's biggest five banks have been sliding since early May amid concerns over the weakening economy. Debt-laden municipalities represent a major risk to China's economy and financial stability, after years of over-investment in infrastructure and plummeting returns from land sales. Still, there's really no getting around the fact that banks will need to sacrifice profitability to support the economy this year," Beddor added.

Persons: Florence, headwinds, Gary Ng, NIM, Christopher Beddor, there's, Beddor, Ziyi Tang, Ryan Woo, Sumeet Chatterjee, Himani Organizations: Bank of Communications, Fair for Trade, Services, REUTERS, China Construction Bank, Corporate, Investment Banking, Industrial, Commercial Bank of China, Bank of Communications Co, Agricultural Bank of China, JPMorgan, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, BEIJING

A man walks past a No Entry traffic sign near the headquarters of China Evergrande Group in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China September 26, 2021. Evergrande's offshore debt restructuring involves a total of $31.7 billion, which include bonds, collaterals and repurchase obligations. Evergrande announced an offshore debt restructuring plan in March, expecting it to facilitate a gradual resumption of operations and generation of cash flow. Trading in China Evergrande shares has been suspended since March 2022. Shares of Evergrande Services (6666.HK) plunged as much as 20% on Friday, while China Evergrande New Energy Vehicle Group (0708.HK) lost as much as 17%.

Persons: Aly, Evergrande, Morgan Stanley, HSI, Clare Jim, Jonathan Stempel, Dietrich Knauth, Manya, Sumeet Chatterjee, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: China Evergrande Group, REUTERS, HONG KONG, China Evergrande, HK, Longfor, Tianji Holdings, British Virgin Islands, Co ., Evergrande Services, Energy Vehicle Group, Manya Saini, Thomson Locations: China, Shenzhen, Guangdong province, Asia, HONG, U.S, United States, Beijing, Manhattan, Hong Kong, Cayman Islands, British Virgin, Land, New York, Trading, Bengaluru

A man walks past a No Entry traffic sign near the headquarters of China Evergrande Group in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China September 26, 2021. The developer's offshore debt restructuring involves a total of $31.7 billion, which include bonds, collaterals and repurchase obligationsThe sources declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter. DEBT RESTRUCTURINGEvergrande announced an offshore debt restructuring plan in March, expecting it to facilitate a gradual resumption of operations and generation of cash flow. Trading in China Evergrande shares has been suspended since March 2022. Shares of Evergrande Services (6666.HK) plunged more than 12%, while China Evergrande New Energy Vehicle Group (0708.HK) dropped 8% on Friday.

Persons: Aly, Evergrande, Morgan Stanley, Hong, Clare Jim, Jonathan Stempel, Dietrich Knauth, Manya, Sumeet Chatterjee, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: China Evergrande Group, REUTERS, HONG KONG, China Evergrande, HK, British Virgin, Tianji Holdings, British Virgin Islands, Co ., Evergrande Services, Energy Vehicle Group, Manya Saini, Thomson Locations: China, Shenzhen, Guangdong province, HONG, U.S, United States, Hong Kong, British, Manhattan, Cayman Islands, British Virgin, Land, New York, Trading, Bengaluru

☆ Furious Chinese investors lodge complaints over trust firm's missed payments
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Angry investors in trust products of a leading Chinese shadow bank have lodged complaint letters with regulators, pleading with the authorities to step in after the big Chinese trust firm missed payments on dozens of investment products. "Every day, a large number of people gathered at business departments of Zhongrong Trust are praying for the firm can give an explanation to investors ... investors are immersed in unlimited horror and fear every day." In the letter to the NFRA , investors demanded that Zhongrong provide reports of the underlying assets of defaulted products. "We hope officials can attach great attention to Zhongrong Trust ... and not let this to become a milestone vicious economic event," the letter sent to the NFRA said. In the letter to the CCDI, investors complained that management of Zhongrong failed to fulfill their responsibilities and caused huge losses to investors.

Persons: Aly, Zhongrong, didn't, NFRA, Ziyi Tang, Ryan Woo, Sumeet Chatterjee, Kim Cogill Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Trust Co, Investors, Financial Regulatory Administration, Central Commission, Reuters, Zhongzhi Enterprise Group, Zhongrong, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, Rights BEIJING, Zhongrong

"The application is a normal procedure for the offshore debt restructuring and does not involve (a) bankruptcy petition," it said in the filing, adding it is pushing forward with its offshore debt restructuring. Evergrande's offshore debt restructuring involves a total of $31.7 billion, which include bonds, collateral and repurchase obligations. A man walks past a No Entry traffic sign near the headquarters of China Evergrande Group in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China September 26, 2021. China's economic and property woes and the absence of concrete stimulus steps have sent a chill through global markets. "The China property sector is like a black hole, so many developers have been dragged into it since two years ago after Evergrande," said Winner Zone Asset Management CEO and CIO Alan Luk.

Persons: Evergrande, Aly, Nomura, HSI, Alan Luk, Clare Jim, Jonathan Stempel, Dietrich Knauth, Manya, Sumeet Chatterjee, Shri Navaratnam, Kim Coghill Organizations: HONG KONG, China Evergrande, HK, U.S, Hong, British Virgin Islands, China Evergrande Group, REUTERS, Zhongrong International Trust Co, Longfor, Asset Management, Manya Saini, Thomson Locations: China, Asia, HONG, U.S, United States, Hong Kong, British Virgin, New York, Shenzhen, Guangdong province, Beijing, Bengaluru

Anxious retail investors are bombarding listed companies with questions about their exposure to Zhongrong, a subsidiary of Zhongzhi, after missed payments by the trust company triggered fears of wider contagion. Zhongzhi's financial trouble is the latest challenge for Chinese authorities as they battle to contain a worsening property sector crisis and revive a faltering recovery in the world's second-largest economy. The Wednesday's meeting was held after Zhongrong International Trust Co, a leading trust company controlled by Zhongzhi, missed payments on dozens of investment products since the end of July, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing sources. PROPERTY CRISISThe liquidity stress facing Zhongzhi highlights the ripple effect of an unprecedented debt crisis in China's property sector, which accounts for roughly a quarter of the economy that has rapidly lost momentum in recent months. Evergrande said late on Wednesday it would delay the voting date and scheme meetings with creditors for its offshore debt restructuring plan to Aug 23 and Aug 28, respectively, to give creditors more time to consider the terms.

Persons: Lehman, Morgan Stanley, Zhongzhi, Aly, Evergrande, Jason Xue, Clare Jim, Sumeet Chatterjee, Jacqueline Wong, Jamie Freed Organizations: Zhongzhi Enterprise Group, Reuters, Citigroup, Big, Workers, REUTERS, International Trust Co, Zhongrong International Trust, China Evergrande, HK, Energy Vehicle Group, Evergrande, Shanghai, Thomson Locations: SHANGHAI, HONG KONG, Beijing, China's, Zhongzhi, China, Wednesday's, Shanghai, Hong Kong

SHANGHAI/HONG KONG, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Faced with a liquidity crisis, Zhongzhi Enterprise Group will conduct a debt restructuring, the Chinese asset manager has told investors, as a deepening property sector downturn raises fears about spillover risks to the broader financial sector. Beijing-based Zhongzhi, which has sizable exposure to real estate, has stopped payment to investors in all investment products, its management told investors in a meeting on Wednesday, a video seen by Reuters showed. Zhongzhi's financial trouble is the latest challenge for Chinese authorities as they battle to contain a worsening property sector crisis and revive a faltering recovery in the world's second-largest economy. Zhongzhi has hired one of the Big Four accounting firms to conduct a comprehensive audit of the company, and is seeking strategic investors, its management told investors in Wednesday's meeting. Anxious retail investors are bombarding listed companies with questions about their exposure to Zhongrong after missed payments by the trust company triggered fears of contagion across the country's financial system.

Persons: Morgan Stanley, Zhongzhi, Lehman, Evergrande, Jason Xue, Clare Jim, Sumeet Chatterjee, Jacqueline Wong, Jamie Freed Organizations: Zhongzhi Enterprise, Reuters, Big, International Trust Co, Citigroup, Zhongrong International Trust, China Evergrande, HK, Energy Vehicle Group, Evergrande, Shanghai, Thomson Locations: SHANGHAI, HONG KONG, Beijing, Wednesday's, China, China's, Shanghai, Hong Kong

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