BANK lending of universal and commercial banks (U/KBs) grew at a faster pace in February this year while domestic liquidity growth slowed.
Data released by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) on Thursday, April 11, showed that banks’ outstanding loans, excluding those placed in the central bank’s reverse repurchase facility, went up by 8.7 percent, up from the 7.8 percent increase in January this year.
Oustanding loans issued by U/KBs amounted to P11.6 trillion from P11.5 trillion in January and P10.6 trillion in February last year.
The central bank said outstanding loans to residents, net of RRPs, increased by 8.7 percent in February from 7.8 percent in the previous month, while outstanding loans to non-residents expanded by 6.5 percent after growing by 9.8 percent in January.
Loans for production activities went up by 6.8 percent from 5.9 percent in the previous month.
The BSP said the increase was mainly driven by the higher lending to key sector such as real estate activities (11.6 percent); electricity, gas, steam, and airconditioning supply (11.2 percent); wholesale and retail trade, and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (7.1 percent); transportation and storage (21.1 percent); and manufacturing (5.9 percent).
Consumer loans to residents also grew by 25.2 percent in February, the same rate as in January, on the sustained increase in credit card and motor vehicle loans.
Domestic liquidity (M3), meanwhile, grew by 5 percent to about P16.9 trillion in February 2024 from 6.0 percent in January.
Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation chief economist Michael Ricafort said the slower M3 growth is still fundamentally consistent with the relatively tight monetary policy measures as local monetary authorities siphon off some of the excess liquidity in the financial system.
The BSP said that looking ahead, it will ensure that liquidity and bank lending conditions remain consistent with its price and financial stability objectives. (PNA)
