Interest rates

Credit growth rates are expected to stabilize following the policy rate decision taken in March and the macroprudential measures, according to the Central Bank.

Total loan growth has accelerated since the bank's rate-setting meeting in February, the bank said in the summary of the March Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting, released on March 28.

Turkish banks have hiked their deposit rates and loan rates after the Central Bank, in a surprise move, increased the policy rate by 500 basis points to 50 percent last week. 

The average return on three-month lira deposits rose to 55.66 percent. The three-month deposit rate was around 28 percent almost a year ago.

Greek banks estimate that interest rates will remain high, namely between 2.7% and 3% in 2024-2026, keeping interest income at high levels for the following years as well.

Interest income increased by 51% to 8.1 billion euros in 2023, contributing the bulk of organic revenue of €10.4 billion.

Türkiye's Central Bank has decided to opt for lifting the key policy rate, increasing the one-week repo auction rate from 45 percent to 50 percent.

Most economists had expected the Central Bank, which held the policy rate steady last month after eight straight increases, to keep the rate unchanged at the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting on March 21.

The Central Bank has raised the monthly maximum interest rate on credit card cash withdrawals from 4.42 percent to 5 percent.

The bank's decision, which aimed at curbing credit card spending, was published in the Official Gazette on March 16 and came into force.

Greece continues to have the worst performance in household credit, registering a consistently negative rate, which was -1.7% in January against a 0.3% increase in the eurozone, according to a report published on Thursday by DBRS Morningstar, focusing on the "slow production of new mortgage loans."

BELGRADE - The National Bank of Serbia (NBS) Executive Board decided on Thursday to keep the key policy rate on hold at 6.50 pct.

The deposit (5.25 pct) and lending facilities (7.75 pct) also remained unchanged.

Banks are responding to the climate of caution among households as regards taking out a loan with new cuts in mortgage rates, in a bid to spark the interest of potential new buyers. They are also extending, until the end of the year, the interest rate freeze in force since last May for existing borrowers.

Türkiye's banks and other financial institutions will start applying inflation-adjusted accounting next year, the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK) has announced.

BELGRADE - The National Bank of Serbia (NBS) Executive Board decided on Thursday to keep the key policy rate on hold at 6.50 pct.

The rates on deposit and lending facilities also remained unchanged at 5.25 pct and 7.75 pct, respectively, the NBS said in a statement.