Demand for corporate credit rises
Demand for loans by Greek small, medium-sized and large enterprises is expected to increase further, while demand by households is expected to remain unchanged in the first quarter of 2023, the Bank of Greece said on Tuesday.
Credit standards for loans to non-financial corporations (NFCs) remained unchanged in the fourth quarter of 2022, compared with the third, in line with the expectations expressed in the previous quarterly survey round, the central bank stated.
Moreover, banks expect that credit standards will also remain unchanged during the first quarter of 2023, the Bank of Greece said in a quarterly report on credit conditions in Greece.
More specifically, the overall terms and conditions for loans to NFCs remained unchanged compared with the third quarter of 2022. During the fourth quarter of 2022, the overall demand for loans and especially for long-term loans increased, both from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as well as from large enterprises, driven mainly by financing needs for fixed investment and working capital.
During the next quarter, the overall demand for loans by both SMEs and large corporations is expected to increase further.
