Properties, a "magnet" for business financing from banks/ Real estate and working capital are leading the new wave of credit
Business lending is gaining momentum, as banks increasingly finance property and working capital needs. In the first seven months of the year, private corporations received 172.9 billion lek in new loans, about 14.3% more than in the same period last year.
In value, the largest portion of financing continues to be held by overdrafts, which are used primarily for short-term business needs. In seven months, financing for this purpose reached about 72.2 billion lekë, but was only about 1% higher than a year ago.
Much stronger growth was recorded in real estate loans. New financing for this purpose reached around 44.8 billion lek, up from 32.9 billion lek in January-July 2025. Within a year, property lending has expanded by around 36%, while the majority of it was provided in euros.
Financing for working capital, which businesses use for their daily operations, has also increased significantly. New loans reached about 37.6 billion lek, up from 29.7 billion lek a year earlier, or about 27% more.
Unlike the performance of a single month, in the seven-month balance, loans for equipment purchases also increased. They reached about 18.4 billion lek, approximately 5.5% more than in the same period last year.
By currency, new business loans in lek increased by 11.1%, while those in euro by 14.8%. Overall, the data show that the expansion of borrowing during the first seven months of the year was supported particularly by financing for real estate and working capital needs.
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