China’s economy had already been slowing before the recent intensification of the woes surrounding real estate developer Evergrande. A key focus for investors is the extent of the latter’s spillover to the broader housing market and economy. In August, floor space of newly started residential buildings fell by 1.7% on a year-on-year basis, while the land area acquired by real estate developers fell by around 10%. Sales of land are a crucial source of funds for local governments, equivalent to around 70% of their official revenues in 2019. So far, house price growth has slowed but has not moved into