Household deposits continue to be biggest resource available to Bulgarian banks

Household deposits continue to be the biggest resource available to the local banks, accounting for 36% of borrowed capital in the system, shows data of the central bank on the balance sheet of the industry by late July. In a month, Bulgarian households deposited a further 480 mln levs to bring their deposits to 21.3 bln levs by the end of July. Corporate deposits added 538 mln levs in a month to 20.5 bln levs. Those two segments increase by a monthly 1.6% the size of borrowed funds. Their month-on-month growth rate is close to that of banking assets. The balance sheet assets of the banks rose 1.8% in July to 66.9 bln levs. The banking assets have increased by 37.9% (or 18.4 bln levs) in the past year. Five of the biggest local banks managed over half of the sector's assets by the end of July and retain their market share month-on-month at 57.5%. Credits and receivables (including financial leasing) rose to 52.8 bln levs or 79% of the sector's balance sheet. Corporate credits increased 2.9% month-on-month to 30.1 bln levs while retail exposures added 3.7% to just over 16 bln levs. The year-on-year growth of the corporate and household portfolios is 52.4%. The end-July profit of the banking sector rose 38.2% year-on-year to 842 mln levs.