Loan payments overdue by more than 90 days for consumer and corporate loans nearly doubled (+94%) during the first five months of the year, rising to 5.56 billion lei, compared to last year"s 2.86 billion lei, according to data supplied by the National Bank of Romania.
Foreign currency loans saw the largest increase (142%), up from less than 1 billion lei in December 2008 to 2.4 billion lei on May 31st 2009.
Overdue payments for loans in lei increased at a slower pace in the first five months of the year, (68.9%), from 1.87 billion lei, to 3.16 billion lei.
The balance of loans given out by banks to individuals and companies was 200.02 billion lei at the end of May 2009, slightly up over December 2008. Loans in lei amounted to 82 billion lei last week, and loans taken out in foreign currency amounted to 118 billion lei.
Compared to May 2008, overdue loan payments increased significantly (+239%), from 1.641 billion lei, to more than 5.5 billion lei.
Residents of Bucharest have the most loans
Residents of Bucharest and Bucharest companies have the largest amount of loans taken out (69.84 billion lei at the end of May, out of which 48.5 billion lei are loans taken out in foreign currency). Overdue payments by companies and residents of Bucharest also increased in the first five months of 2009, by 54.7%, rising to 1.82 billion lei.