BEIJING - Loans to China's real estate sector grew at a slower pace in the first half of this year as government purchase restrictions remain in place in major cities, data from the central bank showed.

At the end of the second quarter, outstanding loans to the property sector stood at 11.04 trillion yuan (about $1.6 trillion), up 14.6 percent year on year, according to a report from the People's Bank of China.

The growth was 4.3 percentage points lower than the rate seen at the first quarter, said the report. Loans to the real estate sector increased by 3.21 trillion yuan in H1.

Outstanding loans for individual purchases went up 17.3 percent to 27.96 trillion yuan, down 0.3 percentage points from the first quarter.

The data came amid continued government efforts to rein in property speculation, particularly in major cities. Local governments have passed or expanded restrictions on house purchases and increased minimum down payments required for mortgages.