The volume of lending by commercial banks (including loans to non-residents) did not change significantly compared to the previous month and constituted 5.2 billion GEL by January 1, 2010. At the same time the volume of term loans increased by 1.2 percent or 60.9 million GEL while the volume of overdue loans decreased by 29.7 percent or 67.4 million GEL.

By the end of December 2009 commercial banks issued to resident legal entities 563.4 million GEL worth of national currency-denominated loans (10.8 percent or 55.0 million more than in the previous month) and 2.4 billion GEL worth of loans in foreign currency (1.0 percent or 23.3 million more, respectively).

Out of the total volume of lending to legal entities, the biggest share falls on trade – 45.8 percent. Compared to November of the last year the volume of loans provided for trade increased by 1.9 percent or 25.7 million GEL and constituted 1.4 billion GEL.

Share of loans provided to the industrial sector constituted 22.7 percent of all loans to legal entities and amounted to 676.0 million GEL by January 1, 2010 (5.7 percent or 36.5 million GEL increase compared to the previous month). 11.5 percent fall on construction, amounting to 341.2 million GEL (9.8 percent or 30.4 million GEL increase respectively). Thus, 80.0 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 individuals increased by 0.4 percent or 8.3 million GEL, during the past month, and exceeded 2.0 billion GEL by January 1, 2010.

Current statistical information is published on the statistics page of the NBG’s website.