BEIJING: China’s central bank said it lent 305.5 billion yuan ($44.28 billion) to 21 financial institutions via its medium-term lending facility (MLF) on Friday.

Interest rates on the MLF loans were unchanged at 2.85 per cent for six-month loans and 3.0 per cent for one-year loans, the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) said on its official weibo account.

The central bank lent 123 billion yuan for six months and 182.5 billion yuan for one year.

The PBOC uses the MLF and the standing lending facility as tools for managing short- and medium-term liquidity in the banking system.