March 2021 was the second monthly peak in the last 14 years, after the RON4.7 billion peak of December 2020.
The IMM Invest (SME Invest) government scheme that guarantees a significant portion of the loans granted to small and medium-sized business as of the second half of 2020 gave a boost to corporate lending.
New corporate loans in euros, too, increased in March, reaching almost EUR438 million (RON2.14 billion), 37.3% higher than in March 2020.
New leu and euro corporate loans stood at more than RON6.75 billion in March 2021, 67% higher than in March 2020.
New corporate loans in lei and euros amounted to RON13.9 billion in the first quarter, an increase of about RON3.45 billion or 33% on the first quarter of last year.
Average interest rose to 4.46% for new leu loans in March and dropped to 1.87% for euro loans.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)