Credit slowdown causes concern about access to bank loans
As of September 24, credit growth had expanded 8.64 percent compared to the end of 2018, the lowest increase in recent years.
According to the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV), as of September 24, credit growth had expanded 8.64 percent compared to the end of 2018. The rate was the lowest increase in recent years, even lower than the 9.52 percent rise during the same period in 2018.
In the SBV’s September survey on business trends at credit institutions, many credit institutions also forecast that 2019 credit growth would increase by 13.61 percent this year, lower than the central bank’s 14 percent target.
Growth has been slow in recent months. At the end of June, credit had increased by 7.33 percent. The figure only inched up to 7.48 percent by the end of July, then to 8 percent at the end of August.
This seems to contradict lending reports from some banks which say they have nearly hit their credit growth quotas set by the central bank.
The central bank has also approved an increase to the credit growth limit in 2019 for banks that have met Basel II standards, such as ACB (13 percent to 17 percent), VPBank (12 percent to 16 percent), Techcombank (13 percent to 17 percent) and MBBank (13 percent to 17 percent).
However, the banks, which posted the highest credit growth in the first half of the year were mainly small- and medium-sized.
Credit growth at large banks, especially BIDV and VietinBank which account for nearly 25 percent of outstanding loans in the entire banking system, was very low. VietinBank, for example, witnessed its credit increase by only 2.38 percent in the first six months of 2019.
The reason why State-owned commercial banks cannot boost credit growth is that their capital adequacy ratio was close to the minimum threshold set by the SBV while they were unable to raise capital.
The credit slowdown was also due to banks’ plans to restructure their balance sheets. Instead of raising credit growth as in previous years, many banks have been forced to reduce credit scale to meet the central bank’s Basel II standards.
This cut to credit supply has made many people worried, especially businesses. However, experts say banks are only tightening credit with highly risky industries and sectors, such as real estate.
Nguyen Quoc Hung, Director of the SBV’s Credit Department, said that bank loans for the Government’s priority sectors had still increased significantly, of which credit for high-tech applicable firms increased by 22.04 percent; exports, 13.2 percent; and small- and medium-sized enterprises, 11.42 percent.
Despite the credit slowdown, the country’s GDP growth hit a nine-year high of 6.98 percent in the first nine months of the year. It was a positive signal as the credit slowdown did not hit economic growth, meaning the economy has become less dependent on bank credit and relying more on other channels such as the securities and corporate bond markets.
Related News
Ambitious profit goals of banks
10:32 | 13/04/2024 Finance
Banks seek to attract foreign capital
10:50 | 09/04/2024 Finance
Mechanisms for bolstering "bolder" and more efficient credit flow
08:24 | 31/03/2024 Import-Export
Effectively implement the State's credit capital investments to attract borrowers
11:13 | 17/03/2024 Finance
Latest News
Closely monitoring fluctuations to calculate the appropriate time to adjust prices
15:35 | 02/05/2024 Finance
Strictly monitor market fluctuations to appropriately adjust prices
14:46 | 27/04/2024 Finance
Closely monitoring market fluctuations to consider appropriate time to adjust prices
09:30 | 26/04/2024 Finance
How does the Land Development Fund work effectively?
09:19 | 26/04/2024 Finance
More News
Vietnam seeks to remove obstacles in upgrade of securities market
13:50 | 25/04/2024 Finance
Price stability from supply increase and transparency in trading in gold market
09:42 | 25/04/2024 Finance
SBV takes more actions to stabilise foreign exchange rates
13:43 | 24/04/2024 Finance
Proposal to exclude criminal liability for tax officials when businesses provide false information to refund VAT
10:35 | 24/04/2024 Finance
Corporate bond maturity in 2024 remains high: MoF
13:51 | 23/04/2024 Finance
Support clearance procedures for imported gold for bidding
09:33 | 23/04/2024 Finance
The exchange rate will gradually cool down from the end of the second quarter of 2024, while interest rates will remain low
09:32 | 23/04/2024 Finance
Majority of credit institutions forecast profit growth in 2024
15:16 | 22/04/2024 Finance
Central bank plans to auction gold bars on April 22
18:00 | 21/04/2024 Finance
Your care
Closely monitoring fluctuations to calculate the appropriate time to adjust prices
15:35 | 02/05/2024 Finance
Strictly monitor market fluctuations to appropriately adjust prices
14:46 | 27/04/2024 Finance
Closely monitoring market fluctuations to consider appropriate time to adjust prices
09:30 | 26/04/2024 Finance
How does the Land Development Fund work effectively?
09:19 | 26/04/2024 Finance
Vietnam seeks to remove obstacles in upgrade of securities market
13:50 | 25/04/2024 Finance