China's entrepreneurs, bankers more optimistic about macroeconomy: surveys

BEIJING - Chinese entrepreneurs and bankers reported growing optimism over the country's macroeconomy in the second quarter of this year, according to the latest central bank surveys.

The entrepreneurs' macroeconomy heat index came in at 42.1 percent in the second quarter, up 3.1 percentage points from the first quarter and 22.8 percentage points higher than in the same period last year, according to a survey from the People's Bank of China.

About 74.9 percent of the surveyed entrepreneurs from 5,000 industrial businesses thought the macroeconomy was operating normally in the second quarter.

A separate survey on bankers showed that their macroeconomy heat index was at 45.9 percent in the second quarter, up 3.5 percentage points from the first quarter, with 79.3 percent of surveyed bankers saying the macroeconomy was operating at a normal level.

The bankers' outlook index for macroeconomy heat rose to 48.4 percent for the third quarter, the survey showed.

It also showed that aggregate loan demand fell in the second quarter, with the index down 6.9 percentage points from the first quarter to 70.5 percent.