According to the news reports, banks affected by the order are China's "big four" - Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd, Bank of China Ltd, China Construction Bank Ltd and Agricultural Bank of China Ltd - and two smaller institutions, China Merchants Bank Ltd and China Minsheng Bank Ltd. The six institutions account for 55 per cent of China's bank deposits, according to Credit Suisse. The government says banks will be allowed to lend a total of 7.5 trillion yuan ($1.12 trillion) this year, down from a record 9.6 trillion yuan in 2009. Beijing raised reserve requirements this year, boosting them to 17 per cent in May for big banks. Smaller lenders are required to keep 14 per cent of deposits in reserve.