The entity’s report indicates that 53.6% of those consulted, mainly banks and other financial entities, consider that the current economic situation is optimal for granting loans to the private sector.
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This indicator registered a fall of 3.5 percentage points with respect to what was reported in the third quarter of last year, which reached 57.1%. However, if the comparison is made with the 29% obtained in the October/December 2020 period, there is significant growth (see photograph).
In this sense, Lourdes López recalled that optimism had been improving in recent quarters due to the improvement in the health situation and the sustained recovery of the economy, but its drop in the last months of last year could be explained by two reasons: on the one hand, the change in the health scenario after the strong appearance of the omicron variant of Covid-19; and, on the other, the impact that the drought is having on the agricultural sector, and consequently, on the entire economy.
TRUST. According to the report of the Central Bank, the situation index (last 3 months) had an increase with respect to the previous quarter, while the expectations index (next 3 months) and confidence (average between situation and expectation) for the same period registered lower values. However, each of the aforementioned registered higher levels compared to the fourth quarter of 2020.
Although the parent bank emphasized the improvement in relation to the same period of 2020, it highlights that the appearance of the omicron variant and the drought that is affecting the agricultural sector again imply risks and uncertainties for the economy, a scenario that would be captured by the expectations index.
The most outstanding aspect considered to grant credit continues to be the economic one. On the other hand, the factors that can prevent a greater granting of credits are the lack of customer information, followed by its history.
The survey released yesterday by the parent bank on the credit market also reveals that loans for mini-SMEs are considered the riskiest activity by financial institutions, with a result of 16.5%. consumer operations, with 16.3%, among others.
