Overdue loans even more problematic in January

Overdue loans of individuals and companies climbed to 4.37% of the overall volume, with the almost half a percentage point rise on December disrupting the flattening trend recorded in the last few months of 2009, according to data from the NBR (National Bank of Romania).

Analysts say the January leap of past due loans could be a temporary one, although they believe there is a strong chance banks' loan portfolios will not significantly improve in the coming period.

"Debtors' behaviour in January could be strictly connected to the significant spending in December, which made it impossible for them to pay their instalments at the beginning of the year. Payments have probably just been delayed for a short while," says Catalina Molnar, chief economist of RBS.

In January the overall amount of past due loans by the population and companies reached 8.77 billion RON (2.1 billion euros), from 7.82 billion RON in December, almost evenly shared by debtors with RON-denominated loans and by those with foreign-currency loans.