(Yicai Global) June 30 -- Chinese people became more willing to consume in the second quarter of this year, while fewer were inclined to invest, according to a new report released by the country’s central bank.

Of the urban depositors surveyed, 24.5 percent said they were likely to consume more in the three months ending today, up from 23.3 percent in the prior quarter, the report from the People’s Bank of China showed yesterday. Those inclined to invest fell to 17.5 percent from 18.8 percent.

Fifty-eight percent said they preferred to save more, up from 57.9 percent. Almost 44 percent favored wealth management products offered by banks, securities brokerages, and insurance companies, according to the survey’s findings.

When asked what they were more likely to spend on, 26 percent chose travel, an increase from 24 percent.

The income sentiment index fell 1 percentage point to 49.7 percent, as more people feel their incomes have fallen. The income confidence index dropped to 48.5 percent from 49.9 percent.

The employment sentiment index fell 2.3 points to 37.6 percent, while the employment anticipation index slid to 48.7 percent from 52.3 percent. 

On house prices, nearly 16 percent expect them to increase, down from 18.5 percent. And some 23.1 percent expect commodity prices to increase next quarter.

The PBOC also released the results of its second-quarter Entrepreneur Survey Report and the Banker Survey Report yesterday. The entrepreneurs’ macroeconomic heat index fell 3 points to 30.9 percent, while the that for bankers stood at 37.8 percent, down from 40.2 percent. It is expected to be 44.7 percent in the third quarter.

Editor: Martin Kadiev