China’s new construction starts declined for a sixth month in September, marking the longest downward trend since the March-August 2015 downturn. New construction starts in September fell 13.54 percent from the year prior, the third month of double-digit declines, according to Reuters calculations based on January-September data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Monday. Property sales by floor area also dropped 15.8 percent in September, down for a third month, according to Reuters calculations. The overall slowdown in the sector was underscored by a 3.5 percent drop in property investments by developers in September, marking the first monthly decline since the height of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic in China in January to February 2020. While recovery in 2016 saw tens of thousands of real estate firms borrowing heavily to build homes, China has this year moved to clamp down on real estate, tightening regulations and capping lending from banks, leaving cash-strapped developers …