(Yicai Global) Feb. 1 -- China's bank regulator burned the candle at both ends for this year's first month, issuing a slew of regulatory policies. CBRC departments at all levels also reported 497 violation notices -- the greatest single-month spike since last year -- with a daily average of 16. This sends a clear signal of the  strict supervision this year will see, state-run news outlet The Paper reported.

These 497 violations -- compared with only 350 red flags thrown in June -- netted CNY897 million (USD142 million) in fines.

CBRC branches at all levels disclosed 347 citations for a total amount of CNY217 million this month, by contrast.

These penalties, aggregating nearly CNY900 million, stemmed mainly from CBRC's sanctioning of many major cases during the month, and include an illegal loan case, a public finance case, and a CNY8 billion draft case settled by levying fines totaling CNY800 million, for 90 percent of the total.