The volume of lending by commercial banks (including loans to non-residents) increased by 3.9 percent compared to the previous month and reached 6.3 billion GEL by January 1, 2011. The volume of loans provided in the national currency increased by 18.4 million GEL (1.1 percent), while the volume of loans in foreign currency increased by 216.6 million GEL (4.9 percent).

By the end of December 2010 commercial banks issued to resident legal entities 632.0 million GEL worth of national currency-denominated loans (2.6 percent or 17.0 million GEL less compared to previous month) and 3.0 billion GEL worth of loans in foreign currency (6.7 percent or 188.3 million GEL more, respectively).

Out of the total volume of lending to legal entities, the biggest share falls on trade – 51.7 percent. Compared with the previous month, in December the volume of loans provided for trade increased by 2.8 percent or 50.7 million GEL and reached 1.9 billion GEL.

Share of loans provided to the industrial sector constituted 21.5 percent of all loans to legal entities and amounted to 776.2 million GEL by January 1, 2011 (17.6 percent or 116.2 million GEL increased compared to the previous month). 10.7 percent fall on construction, amounting to 384.5 million GEL (1.6 percent or 6.0 million GEL increased, respectively). Thus, 83.9 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 3.2 percent or 72.1 million GEL, during the December, and exceeded 2.3 billion GEL level by January 1, 2011.

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