BEIJING, March 18 (Reuters) - Average new home prices in China's 70 major cities rose 0.3 percent in February from a month earlier, quickening from January despite increased government curbs ramping up pressure on speculators, an official survey showed on Saturday.
New home price growth had slowed for four consecutive months through to January, when the increase was just 0.2 percent, before picking up again.
From a year ago, home prices in February rose 11.8 percent, less than January's 12.2 percent gain, according to data issued by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
In China's biggest cities, Shenzhen, Shanghai and Beijing prices rose 13.5 percent, 21.1 percent and 22.1 percent respectively from a year earlier.
(Reporting by Elias Glenn; Editing by Richard Borsuk and Paul Tait)