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Eurozone bank lending continues to weaken as money growth turns negative
Higher interest rates and a stagnant economy keep bank lending on a weakening trend. Annual growth in broad money growth is now negative. This adds to expectations of a weak eurozone economy in the quarters ahead, but as the effects remain gradual this should not be a game-changer for the ECB ahead of its September meeting. Annual growth in bank lending continues to trend down rapidly. Bank lending to the private sector grew by 7.1% year-on-year in September last year but fell back to just 1.6% in July. This has been driven by strong declines in business sector borrowing and a steady downward trend in household ... (full story)