Prices of new homes in 70 large and medium-sized Chinese cities nationwide increased 0.8 percent in June from May, according to a joint statement issued Friday by the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Bureau of Statistics.

The month-on-month growth rate was 0.2 percentage points higher over the figure in May.

Sixty-three cities reported month-on-month price hikes for newly-built homes in June, with southern Guangzhou city reporting a 3.6- percent rise, eastern Shanghai edging up 1 percent and Beijing up 0.3 percent month on month.

Secondhand homes in the 70 cities rose 1.1 percent in June from May, with 57 cities seeing a month-on-month secondhand home price hike.

Secondhand homes in southern Shenzhen city increased 3.9 percent in June from May, up 3.3 percent in eastern Wenzhou city and up 0.2 percent in Beijing.

(Xinhua News Agency July 10, 2009)