Population's credits exceed savings in August

The population’s credits exceeded savings in the banking system, amid a booming demand for funding. Totalling 57 billion RON (17.4 billion euros), individual credits managed to just exceed the level of savings deposited in banks by the population. “This is not a risky situation, as the indebtedness level of the population is still not very high,” says Ionut Dumitru, head of Raiffeisen Bank’s research department. The indebtedness level of the population – expressed as the percentage of the debt service in the total income – has reached 11%, according to the first vice-governor of the NBR (National Bank of Romania). However, the NBR official did say that the indebtedness level of individual clients was quickly approaching the euro zone average, which could indicate mounting pressure. Traditionally, the population is a net creditor for the banking system, i.e. banks are attracting larger sums from individual clients than they are placing in credits. Dumitru says the current situation has appeared as a result of clients significantly taking out loans to accomplish their current plans, in anticipation of future rises in income.