国内英语新闻：Bank deposits up as stocks fall out of favor

BEIJING, March 21 -- A growing number of people are choosing to keep their money in the bank rather than invest it in stocks or property, a central bank survey released yesterday said.

    More than 51 percent of the 20,000 households polled said the current level of interest rates was "appropriate", the quarterly survey by the People's Bank of China said. The figure was up from 46 percent in the previous poll held in the fourth quarter of last year, and was the fourth consecutive quarterly increase.

    The central bank raised interest rates six times last year in a bid to curb inflation. The rate for a standard one-year savings account is now 4.14 percent, up from 2.52 percent at the start of last year.

    While investing on the stock market was a popular option in the earlier part of last year, recent corrections have dampened enthusiasm. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index has fallen about 40 percent since October, and in recent months, bank deposits have grown significantly.

    The survey was carried out last month and involved families in 50 cities. Of those polled, 35 percent said they thought it necessary to save more, up from 30 percent in the previous poll, while almost 28 percent said they planned to invest more in stocks and mutual funds, down from about 36 percent.