26 Aug 2010 12:29

Russian banks up corporate lending 0.3%, retail loans 1.6% in July

NIZHNY NOVGOROD. Aug 26 (Interfax) - Russian banks increased their corporate loan portfolios 0.3% and retail loans 1.6% in July, Mikhail Sukhov, director of the Central Bank's Department for Licensing and Financial Recovery, said at a banking forum in Nizhny Novgorod.

Sukhov said non-performing loans (NPL) grew to 7.5% of the retail loan book but fell to 6.2% of the corporate portfolio.

"NPL growth peaked in June, and is decreasing for the second month in a row," he said.