In Italy "for the current quarter, intermediaries expect a loosening of the offering criteria on loans to non-financial companies and a tightening of those to families".
This is what emerges from the survey on bank lending in the euro area on the fourth quarter of last year and prospects for the first quarter of this year in the part relating to Italian banks.
In a note, Bank of Italy specifies that the demand for credit by businesses has decreased for the fourth consecutive quarter, continuing to reflect the increase in the level of interest rates, the decline in the need for spending on fixed investments and the greater use of self-financing.
And the demand for loans from families has reduced, more markedly for those aimed at purchasing homes, which has been declining since the beginning of 2022. In the current quarter, the demand for loans from businesses would increase slightly, while that from families for the purchase of homes would remain unchanged. homes.
Also in the fourth quarter of 2023, the offering criteria for loans to businesses remained stable, despite the greater perception of risk.
General terms and conditions have been relaxed, mainly through a reduction in the margins charged by banks on less risky loans, as a result of growing competitive pressure.
The offer criteria for loans to families for the purchase of homes also remained unchanged, while the terms and conditions were made more favourable, also in this case due to greater competitive pressure.
Supply policies relating to consumer credit have been tightened overall.
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