The volume of lending by commercial banks (including loans to non-residents) in February, 2011, compared to the previous month, decreased by 101.6 million GEL (1.6 percent) and constituted 6.2 billion GEL by March 1, 2011. The volume of loans provided in the national currency increased by 4.8 million GEL (0.3 percent), while the volume of loans in a foreign currency decreased by 106.3 million GEL (2.3 percent).

By the end of February 2011 commercial banks issued to resident legal entities 611.6 million GEL worth of national currency-denominated loans (0.5 percent or 2.9 million GEL less compared to previous month) and 2.9 billion GEL worth of loans in a foreign currency (2.8 percent or 83.1 million GEL less, respectively).

Out of the total volume of lending to legal entities, the biggest share falls on trade – 52.1 percent. Compared with the January 2011, in February 2011 the volume of loans provided for trade decreased by 1.0 percent or 18.4 million GEL and constituted 1.8 billion GEL.

Share of loans provided to the industrial sector constituted 21.2 percent of all loans to legal entities and amounted to 752.1 million GEL by March 1, 2011 (6.1 percent or 48.9 million GEL less compared to the previous month). 10.5 percent fall on construction, amounting to 371.3 million GEL (2.9 percent or 11.3 million GEL less, respectively). Therefore, 83.7 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 decreased by 0.8 percent or 19.9 million GEL, during the February 2011, and remained at 2.4 billion GEL level by March 1, 2011.

Current statistical information is published on the statistics page of the NBG’s website: www.nbg.gov.ge.