Total amount of bank credits issued between January and April of this year increased by 41.2%. During this period, Belarusian banks provided loans at 30.63 trillion rubles in total, or 8.94 trillion rubles more than over the same period of last year. However, the population's debt on credits is growing, informed in the National Bank of Belarus.
«In general, the debt of economy and population on bank credits on May 1 reached 68.05 trillion rubles and over the same period of last year it increased by 17.07 trillion rubles or 33.5%. Furthermore, the short-term credits’ arrears increased by 4.38 trillion rubles or 32.1%, and amounted to 17.96 trillion rubles, long-term credits’ — by 12.71 trillion rubles or 34% and it is equal to 50.1 trillion rubles. The proportion of ruble component in total amount of the population’s credit debt increased. A year ago, it was 72.6%, in the present — 84.4%», the information department of the National Bank reported.
In the National Bank assured that «strengthening of the positive tendencies in economy and financial sector of the country» had made it possible to continue reducing interest rates began in December 2009. «So, since February 17, 2010 the refinancing rate has been reduced by 0.5 percentage points to 13% per annum, from April 19 — up to 12.5% and from May 12 — up to 12%», told in the National Bank.
«Gross interest rate on new credits to legal entities, individuals and individual entrepreneurs in April amounted to 18.41% and comparing with April 2009 decreased by 3.24 percentage points», reads the statement of the information department of the National Bank of Belarus.
The National Bank plans to lower rates on new loans to non-financial sector to 12-15% per annum by the end of this year.
