By comparison, private lending saw an annual growth rate of 10.6% in February 2023, of 11.5% in January 2023 and of over 12% in December 2022.
In March 2023, the biggest annual increase was recorded by foreign currency loans granted to companies (non-financial institutions and non-monetary financial institutions), up 46.7% to a loan balance of RON95.4 billion. Instead, foreign currency household loans fell by 10% and the loan balance plunged to almost RON24 billion.
Household loans in lei increased by 4.4% in March and the total balance in banks reached RON146.5 billion. Instead, corporate loan inched up 0.5% to RON104.5 billion.
Government credit grew by 2.8% to RON179.4 billion in March 2023 compared to February 2023. Compared to March 2022, government credit increased by 9.4% and fell by 4.5% in real terms.
Deposits of non-government resident customers edged up 0.5% in March 2023 versus February 2023 to RON 524 billion, while the annual growth rate was 9.5% (down 4.4% in real terms).
RON-denominated deposits of residents, representing 67.1% of deposits of non-government customers, picked up by 1.2% to RON351 billion in March 2023 compared to February 2023, while the annual growth rate was 17.8% (2.8% in real terms).
RON-denominated household deposits increased by 1.2% to RON185 billion in March 2023 versus February 2023 and by 18.3% (3.3% in real terms) year-over-year.
RON-denominated deposits of other sectors (non-financial corporations and non-monetary financial institutions) grew by 1.3% (to RON166 billion) in March 2023 versus February 2023 and by 17.3% (2.4% in real terms) year-over-year.