The stronger margin trend of China's big four state-owned banks--Agricultural Bank of China, Bank of China, China Construction Bank and Industrial & Commercial Bank of China--seems to pleasantly surprise Morningstar's Iris Tan. She notes the four lenders' 1Q net interest income grew 7%-8% on year after declining in 2025. The banks' net interest income could grow around 6% this year, given that their net interest margins have stabilized, she says in a note. ABC is its top pick among the four as i

The stronger margin trend of China's big four state-owned banks--Agricultural Bank of China, Bank of China, China Construction Bank and Industrial & Commercial Bank of China--seems to pleasantly surprise Morningstar's Iris Tan. She notes the four lenders' 1Q net interest income grew 7%-8% on year after declining in 2025. The banks' net interest income could grow around 6% this year, given that their net interest margins have stabilized, she says in a note. ABC is its top pick among the four as it broadly outperformed peers. Morningstar raises its fair-value estimate for ABC by 3% to HK$7.20 for its H shares and to 6.30 yuan for its A shares.