New mortgage rule 'positive' move: Citi

Malaysia’s move to tighten mortgage rules is “positive” for the nation’s banks as it will help prevent a property bubble and limit the risk of household non-performing loans, Citigroup Inc analyst Fiona Leong said in a report yesterday.

The central bank yesterday placed a limit on the loan-to-value ratio for people taking out third mortgages to buy homes in a bid to moderate “excessive” investment and speculation in urban areas.

Banks with bigger exposure to home mortgages are Hong Leong Bank Bhd and Alliance Financial Group Bhd, Leong said.

By Bloomberg