BEIJING: Home prices in China rose for first time in over a year in October on an annual basis, signalling a housing market stabilisation that could help re-energise the listless economy. A swift rebound in property prices, however, is unlikely due to high inventories in all but the biggest cities, forcing developers to slow the pace of or even stop expansion to protect their cash flows. Average new home prices rose 0.1 per cent in October from a year earlier, Reuters calculated from National Statistics Bureau data out on Wednesday, reversing September’s 0.9 per cent drop, marking the first year-on-year gains since August 2014. Even a modest recovery in a sector that accounts for 15 per cent of gross domestic product is a welcome boost for an economy heading for its weakest growth in 25 years.