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Укр AUB Press Office
AUB Press Office
makes up only 3% of the total number of loans for SMEs, mortgage loans - up to 4% of the total number of mortgage loans granted, and car loans - 16% of the total portfolio of car loans.
“The vast majority of targeted loans for small and medium-sized businesses, which are currently problematic, were granted even before the start of military aggression to enterprises that were in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. Lending to SMEs was renewed in April 2022. This contributed to the fact that the volume of the loan portfolio was preserved. Despite the fact that during the 2 years of the war, borrowers repaid 70% of loans for SMEs, in March 2024 the bank was able to reach the pre-war volume of lending. As for mortgage lending, the rate of issuing mortgage loans over the past two years is significantly lower than the rate of their repayment, which significantly reduces the portfolio of this type of lending. The large percentage of problem car loans can be connected, on the one hand, with a significant decrease in the volume of loans issued, especially in 2022 (currently, the repayment of car loans almost coincides with the rate of issuance of new loans), as well as with a significant number of loans issued even before the start of a full-scale invasion in the territories occupied by the aggressor," detailed Olena Yermolova.
Predicting the situation surrounding problem loans in the banking sector, the expert emphasized that several important factors must coincide for their further reduction:
- improvement of the economic situation in the country;
- controlled situation at the front;
- reduction of the accounting rate as the main indicator of the cost of resources;
- increasing the financial capabilities of citizens to take and service loans;
- competition of financial institutions and introduction of bank loan programs that are more loyal to the borrower: increase in the repayment period, decrease in the size of the initial contribution, etc.
“The main caveat for any forecasts is the war factor, because it is too difficult to predict its course and further impact on the economy, social and political circumstances in the country. Despite this, the banking sector expects that the general situation will be more or less favorable not only for the gradual development of bank lending, but also, accordingly, for the reduction of problem loans," Olena Yermolova concluded.
