IN DECEMBER Romanian overdue loans on the rise

• Inhabitants of Bucharest account for almost one quarter of the total overdue loans

Loans denominated in lei taken by individuals and companies amounted to 79.7 billion lei at the end of 2009, and overdue payments have increased YOY to 4.342 billion lei. Overdue payments in lei increased 3.3% compared to November 2009. At the end of 2008, overdue loans amounted to around 2.8 billion lei.

Loans denominated in foreign currencies amounted to 121 billion lei (at the exchange rate announced by the NBR on the last working day of the month), with overdue payments of 3.4 billion lei, down 7.65% over November.

Loans denominated in foreign currencies accounted for 60% of the total loans taken by Romanian borrowers.

Caraş-Severin is the county with the lowest volume of loans (742 million lei), out of which 489 million in individual loans and 252 million lei in corporate loans.

Tulcea has the lowest volume of bank deposits drawn from individuals and companies, (389 billion lei and 121 million lei in foreign currencies).

Inhabitants of Bucharest account for almost one quarter of the total overdue loans, (980.449 million lei).

• Bank deposits on the rise

Corporate and individual deposits have continued to grow in December, increasing 2.6% over November, to 167.74 billion lei.

In December, bank deposits denominated in lei increased 4% YOY to 102.69 billion lei.

Foreign currency bank deposits (expressed in lei) increased 3.1% MOM, to 65.05 billion lei, and foreign currency deposits expressed in Euros have increased 4.2%, up to 15.38 billion Euros.

Compared to December 2008, foreign currency deposits of the individuals and companies have increased 23.6%, in nominal terms and at their equivalent value in lei. Expressed in Euros, foreign currency savings of residents have only increased 16.5%.