Weighted average interest rateData included in this communiqué are reflected in accordance with the Instruction on reporting the interest rates applied by banks of the Republic of Moldova, approved by the Decision of the Executive Board of the NBM no.331 of 01 December 2016, Official Monitor of the Republic of Moldova no.441-451 of 16.12.2016 on new loans extended in domestic currency in April 2018 was 9.0 percent, decreasing by 1.63 percentage points compared to the same period of the last year (Chart 1).  At the same time, the weighted average interest rate on loans in domestic currency decreased by 0.35 percentage points compared to the previous month.

Loans with maturity ranging from 2 to 5 years continued to be the most attractive. In April 2018, their share accounted for 43.64 percent of total domestic currency loans (Chart 2). To be noted, that the average rate of this loans was of 8.63 percent (decreasing by 0.33 percentage points compared to the previous month).

Domestic currency loans to legal entities held the largest share of 61.20 percent of total new loans extended, having an average rate of 9.44 percent. At the same time, domestic currency loans were extended to individuals at an average rate of 8.32 percent (Chart 3).

Weighted average interest rate on new loans extended in foreign currency1 in the reporting period was 4.76 percent, by 0.37 percentage points less compared to April 2017.  As compared to the previous month, the average interest rate increased by 0.07 percentage points. In the reporting month, new foreign currency loans were mainly represented by loans to legal entities, extended at an average rate of 4.64 percent, accounting for 96.58 percent of total foreign currency loans (Chart 4).

The loans granted in foreign currency with maturity ranging from 2 to 5 years were the most attractive (55.18 percent of total loans in foreign currency), which were extended at an average interest rate of 4.74 percent.

In April 2018, average weighted interest rate on domestic currency term deposits was 4.46 percent, having decreased by 0.89 percentage points compared to April 2017 (Chart 5).The average interest rate on domestic currency term deposits decreased by 0.20 percentage points compared to March 2018.

Term deposits with maturity ranging from 6 to 12 months, were placed at an average interest rate of 4.70 percent, and held the largest share in total domestic currency term deposits of 48.71 percent (Chart 6).

The share of individuals’ domestic currency term deposits accounted for 76.50 percent of total domestic currency term deposits, increasing by 1.76 percentage points as compared to the previous month.   The average weighted interest rate on these deposits recorded 4.64 percent (Chart 7). The average interest rate on legal entities’ deposits dropped to 3.86 percent, recording a decrease of 0.14 percentage points compared to the previous month.

Weighted average interest rate on foreign currency term deposits recorded 0.98 percent during the reporting period, decreasing by 0.89 percentage points compared to April 2017 and by 0.09 percentage points compared to March 2018.

Term deposits with maturity ranging from 6 to 12 months held the largest share (45.5 percent) in total foreign currency term deposits, being placed at an average interest rate of 0.83 percent, decreasing by 0.11 percentage points as compared to the previous month (Chart 8).

Banking margin on domestic currency operations recorded 4.54 percentage points, decreasing by 0.15 percentage points compared to the previous month (Chart 9).

Banking margin on foreign currency operations recorded 3.78 percentage points, increasing by 0.16 percentage points as compared to March 2018.

Statistics