The supply of existing homes is pretty tight, and home prices are starting to creepup after stabilizingor even dropping.

　　Sales of existing homes in Shanghai last month tumbled 15.5 percent to 17,800 units, the first drop in four months, Century 21 China Real Estate said in a report last week. The homes were sold at an averageprice of 17,000 yuan (US$2,681) per square meter, up 3.4 percent from July.

　　"Recovering home-buying sentimentsince May, both in existing and new home markets, has boostedthe confidence of individualsellers, who have been reducing discountsor even raising their prices."Six of nine areas in the city, including Tonghe in Baoshan District, Lianyang in the Pudong New Area and Xinzhuang in Minhang District, saw average prices rise by between 5 and 10 percent in August from a month earlier, Century 21 research showed.

　　A separatereport by Shanghai Centaline Property Consultants Ltd showed that the values of existing homes for sale in August gained 1.4 percent from July to 17,470 yuan per square meter, amid a double-digitdrop in volume.

　　"Compared with outlyingdistricts, downtownareas registered particularlysluggishmomentumin August, with notabledeclines in both the number of home-viewing trips as well as inquiries from potentialbuyers," said Song Huiyong, research director at Shanghai Centaline.Shanghai's existing housing index, which tracks price variationsof previously occupied homes in the city, rose 0.8 percent in August from July, after fractional gains in July and June.The city's existing home market will likely remain "stagnant"for another few months, with flat volumes and firm prices, industry analysts predicted.

　　英語快訊：從國家統計局公布的數據來看，今年前八個月房產開發投資增速出現了止跌跡象，特別是八月份首次出現年內的回升，再加上未來央行貨幣政策寬松“微調”的預期增強，信貸政策對房價走勢將起到決定性作用。因此，樓市走向再次引發高度關注。