(ECNS) -- More than half of respondents to a central bank survey say China's property prices are "too high to accept", yet 17.6 percent predict prices would continue to rise in the second quarter, according to data released on Thursday.
Among urban residents, 50.7 percent think property prices are too expensive, up 1.7 percentage points from a quarter earlier, according to the first-quarter survey by People's Bank of China, the country's central bank.
Nearly 46 percent think current home prices are "acceptable" and 3.6 percent are "satisfied with" current levels, the survey found.
For the second quarter, 52.1 percent of those surveyed think prices will remain unchanged while 16.1 percent expect a drop. Some 13.6 percent say they will purchase a new home in the coming three months, a decrease of 1.1 percentage points from the previous quarter.
The survey also found that 52.7 percent of respondents think commodity prices are "too high", a rise of 1.7 percentage points from the last quarter. It shows 24.8 percent expect prices to continue to rise.
In terms of income, 79.6 percent think they will earn more or basically the same, an increase of 1.2 percent over the last quarter. Besides, the income confidence index decreased by 0.7 percentage points to 48.4 percent.
The survey also found that 45.1 percent think the current employment situation is "grim, difficult or uncertain."
It also found an increasing willingness among respondents to save money and a decline in investment and consumption intention.
In the same survey, 69.1 percent of bankers said the current monetary policy stance is appropriate. The figure is 5.6 percentage points higher than in the previous poll.
