Philenews

New Loans Drop €377.7m in January – Reaching €247.3m

Published March 6, 2026, 17:13
New Loans Drop €377.7m in January – Reaching €247.3m

A significant monthly decrease was recorded in new loans in Cyprus in January 2026, falling by €377.7 million compared to December, according to data from the Central Bank of Cyprus (CBC). Specifically, net new loans amounted to €247.3 million, compared to €625.0 million the previous month. Total new loans reached €495.9 million, compared to €986.9 million in December. There was a significant decrease in mortgage loans by €39.7 million, as well as a decrease in interest rates on housing and consumer loans. Conversely, consumer loans increased slightly to €18.9 million. Specifically, loans for the purchase of housing decreased to €95.7 million, compared to €135.4 million in December. Business loans also saw a significant decrease: loans up to €1 million: €40.1 million (from €60.3 million) and loans over €1 million: €88.1 million (from €406.4 million). At the same time, a slight decrease in loan interest rates was recorded. The interest rate on consumer loans decreased to 7.20% from 7.22%, and the interest rate on mortgage loans fell to 3.70% from 3.78%. The CBC notes that loan interest rates in Cyprus are now close to the Eurozone median, with the margin being zero for households and around 0.4% for businesses. Deposit interest rates, however, remain the lowest in the Eurozone due to the high liquidity of Cypriot banks. Finally, a change in trend is observed in mortgage loans, with an increase in loans with a fixed interest rate.