BEIJING, May 11 (Reuters) - New loans extended by Chinese banks fell more than expected in April to 730 billion yuan ($101 billion), Reuters calculations of central bank data showed on Saturday.
Analysts polled by Reuters had predicted loans would fall to 800 billion yuan in April from 3.09 trillion yuan in March.
The People's Bank of China data, which does not give monthly breakdowns, showed new loans totalled 10.19 trillion yuan for the first four months of the year.
Broad M2 money supply grew 7.2% from a year earlier, the data showed, below the forecast 8.3% rise. M2 grew 8.3% in March from a year ago.
Outstanding yuan loans grew 9.6% in April from a year earlier compared with 9.6% growth in March. Analysts had expected 9.7% growth.
($1 = 7.2261 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Reporting by Judy Hua, Joe Cash and Kevin Yao)
