In the first quarter, the overdue loans growth was mainly driven by a 93.94% increase in foreign currency-denominated overdue loans to RON1.92 billion. Overdue loans in Romanian leu rose 35.82% in the first three months of 2008 to RON2.54 billion.
The overdue loans in March were more than three-times higher compared with the same period of 2008, when they amounted at RON1.38 billion.
The total amount of loans in local currency at the end of March was at RON83.14 billion, slightly lower compared with RON83.774 at the end of 2008. Loans in foreign currency at the end of 2009’s first quarter totaled RON120.44 billion, up from RON115.36 billion at the end of 2008.
Thus, the overdue loans accounted for 2.2% of the total loans at the end of the first quarter, compared with 1.43% at the end of 2008.