The stock of bank loans in Romania rose by 11.2% year-on-year and by 1.8% in the month alone to over RON 300 bln (nearly EUR 61 bln) at the end of June, according to data published by the National Bank of Romania (BNR).

The loans denominated in local currency have advanced even faster, by 16.6% YoY (+2.1% in June alone) to RON 214 bln (71% of total bank loans) while the forex loans kept shrinking (-0.3% YoY).

The financial intermediation improved driven by corporate lending, while the retail lending (mortgage, consumption) keeps growing at a high pace as well.

The stock of local currency corporate loans surged by more than one-fifth (+21.7% YoY) over the past year to RON 86.2 bln (EUR 17.5 bln), but even so, it accounts for just over 40% of total local currency loans. The rest of it (almost 60%) is formed by retail (mortgage and consumer) loans - which altogether rose by a still significant 13.4% over the past year to RON 127.4 bln (EUR 25.6 bln). 

The credit to Government rose by 21.3% year-on-year to RON 159.4 bln (EUR 32.3 bln) and account for more than a third of total credit extended by banks. 

iulian@romania-insider.com

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