The volume of lending by commercial banks (including loans to non-residents) in February, 2012, compared to the previous month, increased by 27.2 million GEL (0.4 percent) and reached 7.7 billion GEL by March 1, 2012. The volume of loans provided in the national currency increased by 41.1 million GEL (1.7 percent) and the volume of loans in a foreign currency decreased by 13.9 million GEL (0.3 percent).

By the end of February 2012, commercial banks issued to resident legal entities 830.8 million GEL worth of national currency-denominated loans (5.5 percent or 43.6 million GEL more compared to the previous month) and 3.4 billion GEL worth of loans in a foreign currency (0.8 percent or 28.6 million GEL less, respectively).

Out of the total volume of lending to legal entities, the biggest share falls on trade – 46.4 percent. Compared with the previous month, in February, 2012 the volume of loans provided for trade decreased by 12.6 percent or 280.3 million GEL and constituted 1.9 billion GEL.

Share of loans provided to the industrial sector constituted 21.0 percent of all loans to legal entities and amounted to 880.1 million GEL by March 1, 2012 (21.9 percent or 158.4 million GEL more compared to the previous month). 10.1 percent fall on construction, amounting to 425.3 million GEL (9.0 percent or 35.2 million GEL more, respectively). Therefore, 77.5 percent of the total volume of lending to the legal entities falls only on three sectors – industry, construction and trade.

The volume of lending to resident individuals increased by 1.9 percent or 60.2 million GEL, during the February 2012, and reached 3.2 billion GEL by March 1, 2012.

Current statistical information is published on the NBG’s website http://www.nbg.gov.ge/index.php?m=306&lng=eng