UPDATE 1-China’s Dec new home prices fall at fastest pace in nearly 9 years

China's December new home prices fell at the fastest pace since February 2015, marking the sixth straight month of declines, official data showed on Wednesday, with the sector still struggling to get back on its feet due to weak confidence. New home prices fell 0.4% month-on-month after dipping 0.3% in November, according to Reuters calculations based on National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) data. Sustained weakness in the sector, once a key driver of economic growth accounting for around a quarter of China's economy, could drag on the country's broader recovery.