The demand for credit in the euro area increased in the second quarter.
Business demand for loans or lines of credit grew moderately, as a survey by the European Central Bank (ECB) published on Tuesday shows.
For the first time since the third quarter of 2019, corporate investment demand made a positive contribution to credit demand, which suggests that companies are giving up their reluctance to invest.
The interest of private households in real estate and consumer loans has meanwhile increased significantly.
The reasons for this are better consumer sentiment, good prospects for the housing market and the low interest rates, explained the ECB.
The banks left their internal credit standards largely unchanged in the second quarter. The development follows a significant worsening during the Corona crisis last year and a slight relaxation at the beginning of the year. The award criteria for new loans were even relaxed somewhat in the second quarter. (dpa)