🇨🇳 China takes drastic measures

[Finimize]( Hi {NAME}, here's what you need to know for August 23rd in 3:03 minutes. 📣 Help us create content that you’re actually interested in by [telling us how you’re feeling about investing today](. You’ll get a free ticket to our Modern Investor Summit in return, and you might even win a free pair of AirPods too. [Sound off today]( Today's big stories - China slashed its mortgage rate to try to save its property sector - With Europe facing an energy blackout, here's how you can keep your portfolio insulated – [Read Now]( - Signify Health’s stock jumped as Amazon and more bid to buy the company China Wants To Make An Unfinished House A Home [China Wants To Make An Unfinished House A Home] What’s Going On Here? The Chinese central bank [cut]( a key interest rate on Monday in a bid to reinvigorate the country’s property sector. What Does This Mean? Ever since the Chinese government [cracked down]( on its property sector last year (remember Evergrande?), the country’s developers have been struggling to make ends meet. That’s brought construction projects to a halt, as well as caused homebuyers who paid in advance for a yet-to-be-built property to boycott their mortgage payments. And since the real estate sector accounts for roughly a third of the country’s output, it’s only making the country’s economic [slowdown]( worse. So in hopes of turning things around, the country’s central bank slashed its 5-year mortgage rate by the equal-most on record on Monday. That’ll reduce borrowing costs on new mortgages across the country, which the government is hoping will lift demand and boost the languishing sector. Why Should I Care? For markets: Priority number one. Some analysts don’t think this rate cut – or even a second one, which they’re expecting later this year – will do enough to address the crisis. After all, a big part of the issue is that homes are sitting half-finished, so nothing’s likely to change until the stalled projects get over the line. The Chinese government, then, has [announced]( that it’ll offer special loans to help with just that, which might be why the Hang Seng Mainland Properties index rose on Monday. The bigger picture: China saves for a rainy day. It's not just mortgage strikes that are a problem, with more and more households in the country now opting to avoid taking on debt altogether. Households amassed 10.3 trillion yuan in bank deposits in the first half of 2022 – a 13% increase from the same time last year and the biggest jump on record ([tweet this](). That means consumers are spending less now and saving more for tomorrow, which could weigh on economic growth for some time to come. You might also like: [Why these mortgage boycotts are your problem too.]( Copy to share story: [( 🙋 [Ask a question](mailto:questions@finimize.com?body=Ask us a question: Where are you writing from? Let us know and we'll mention it when we reply.&noapp=true&subject=China Wants To Make An Unfinished House A Home&utm_campaign=daily-global-23-08-2022&utm_source=email) Analyst Take How To Avoid A Portfolio Wipeout If There’s A European Blackout [How To Avoid A Portfolio Wipeout If There’s A European Blackout]( By Theodora Lee Joseph, Analyst It’s shaping up to be [an uncomfortable winter]( for Europe, with possible gas shortages, rationing, and blackouts posing a threat. European countries are working to [fill their tanks]( in case Russia stops the flow of gas, but even so, they can hold only enough fuel for two or three months. So it’s a good time to think about [the five big consequences]( that could come from Europe’s gas crisis, and [how to insulate your portfolio from the cold](. That’s today’s insight: [how to avoid a portfolio wipeout if there’s a European blackout](. [Read or listen to the Insight here]( 🤩 Fancy this space? Lovely little spot this, isn’t it? And it just so happens to be the perfect place for you to showcase your business to our [one million engaged investors](. If you share our goal of changing the finance world for the better, then [chat to us]( about [our daily newsletter]( placements. We can’t wait to see you here soon. [Work With Us]( Even Amazon Wants A Piece Of Signify [Even Amazon Wants A Piece Of Signify] What’s Going On Here? Signify Health’s stock [jumped]( 40% on Monday as a host of buyers think about buying the home-health provider. What Does This Mean? Reports [emerged]( at the start of the month that drugstore giant CVS was interested in buying Signify, which provided in-home healthcare evaluations to around 2 million patients last year. And now it turns out that a handful of other hopefuls have entered the fray, including insurer UnitedHealth, fellow healthcare provider Option Care, and – fresh off its deal to [buy]( One Medical last month – Amazon. There’s no guarantee that an acquisition will go ahead, but the speculation alone is already going down well with investors: UnitedHealth’s reported bid of over $30 a share is almost twice what the company was trading at just a month ago. Why Should I Care? For markets: This won’t be straightforward. The push for Signify shows how keen companies are to expand into the healthcare industry, which makes sense given that it’s something Americans avoid cutting back on even in a downturn. But a deal in the sector is also bound to catch the attention of regulators, which will be wary that reduced competition could work against consumers. That’s nothing new for the two frontrunners in this particular deal, mind you: UnitedHealth is already fighting to buy Change Healthcare amid concerns that it’ll gain access to sensitive information, while Amazon’s regulatory battles are too many to count. Zooming out: Amazon goes off. Speaking of Amazon, the ecommerce giant is [thinking]( twice about its physical stores in the UK. It’s opened 18 checkout-free Amazon Fresh stores across the country, and had plans to open hundreds more. But with the tough economic backdrop having led to disappointing sales, it’s reportedly considering quitting while it’s ahead. You might also like: [How to work out for yourself if Signify is really worth buying.]( Copy to share story: [( 🙋 [Ask a question](mailto:questions@finimize.com?body=Ask us a question: Where are you writing from? 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