Market forecasts had centred around 3.73 percent and ranged from 3.66 to 3.85 percent.

The result was higher than Wednesday's indicative secondary market yield of 3.6630 percent bid for five-year financial bonds issued by policy banks.

CDB also auctioned 20 billion yuan of 10-year floating rate bonds at a coupon of 77 basis points over the one-year deposit rate, traders said, at the low end of market forecasts.

Traders' expectations had centred around 83 bps and ranged from 73 bps to 90 bps above the one-year deposit rate.

Copyright Reuters, 2012