Publications

In June, real growth in outstanding loans to non-financial private sector slowed to 5.4% annually, its lowest level since April 2024, as the surge in demand ahead of US tariffs faded. Deposits registered a slower overall growth (3.6% in real annual terms), influenced by the weakness of the economy's revenue sources.

In May, bank deposits and commercial bank lending to the Non-Financial Private Sector (SPNF) registered a widespread slowdown, influenced by weak economic activity and the fading exchange rate effect. Credit grew at a real annual rate of 7.4%, while deposits slowed to a real annual rate of 4.4%.

In March, outstanding credit granted to the non-financial private sector maintained double-digit growth, supported by corporate lending. Traditional banking deposits growth (sight+term) accelerated aunderpinned by public sector resources.

In February, outstanding loans to the non-financial private sector maintained double-digit annual growth, while traditional deposits slowed by 1.7% YoY in real terms compared to January. This trend is consistent with a context of anticipated foreign demand to avoid tariffs amid a local slowdown.

In a context of an economic slowdown, currency depreciation, and high interest rates, the financial system was characterized in 2024 by maintaining robust domestic financing sources, channeled primarily to the public sector and households through bank loans.

Spanish banks are rapidly translating the reduction in official interest rates to new lending operations' interest rates, which benefits borrowers. In the case of deposits, the transmission is slightly slower than in the hiking cycle, which benefits depositors.

In September, current credit to the NFPS slowed down 0.5% YoY in real terms, as a result of the lower dynamism of consumer and business credit. Traditional deposits decelerated 0.6% YoY in real terms, as a consequence of the continued weakness of term deposits. A feeble economic activity seems to lie beneath both dynamics.

In August, both deposits and credit rose in annual terms with respect to July, supported, in part, by the accounting effect of the exchange rate depreciation. Companies and other financial intermediaries were behind the increase in deposits, while consumer and business credit supported credit.