China has ordered banks and other financial institutions to encourage more consumer financing and use of credit cards as part of a campaign to get people to spend more. The order on Friday from the country's financial regulator is part of the ruling Communist Party's latest push to build more confidence among consumers who are opting to save rather than spend, worried over jobs and the outlook for the economy. It said banks should lend more and also find ways to help borrowers who run into difficulties. Share prices in China surged following the notice from the National Financial Regulatory Commission. Officials are due to hold a briefing on Monday on efforts to increase spending and investment, factors considered crucial for keeping the economy on track following the setbacks of the COVID-19 pandemic, when millions of people lost jobs and many companies went out of business. The Chinese economy, the world's second-largest, has been growing recently at about a 5 per cent pace, ...