Banks deposited RON1.3 billion with the central bank in February, down from the January volume, RON8.4 billion, the highest monthly level in almost three years.
The average interest the central bank offered banks for deposits dropped to 0.75% per annum in February, compared with 0.88% in January and 1% in the final months of 2020.
Lenders also made deposits with Romania’s central bank via deposit auctions in February, with the average volume here amounting to more than RON1.1 billion. Average interest in this case was 1.25% per annum. There were no such auctions in January, and February was the first month they were held after March 2020.
Romania’s central bank became a net debtor of commercial banks in January 2021, once the interbank market got cash surplus. Total private lending started 2021 with an annual growth of 5.1% in January on the year-ago month, and the growth pace slowed down compared with the final months of last year, while the retail and corporate loans reached RON283.5 billion, central bank data show.
Private lending rose 6.9% in January 2020 on the year-earlier month.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)