September 3 (SeeNews) - The credit portfolio of Macedonian commercial banks reached 175.71 billion denars ($4.06 billion/2.84 billion euro) at the end of July, 0.3% up from a month earlier and 11.2% higher on the year, Macedonia's central bank, NBRM, said on Thursday.
Loans to households rose by an annual 12.7% to 72.135 billion denars and were 0.2% higher on the month in July, NBRM said in a monthly report. Credits to companies rose by 10.3% on the year and were 0.4% higher on the month at 103.329 billion denars.
The Macedonian banks' deposit portfolio, which includes time and savings deposits in foreign and domestic currency, totalled 172.879 billion denars at the end of July, down by 0.1% on the year and 1.0% lower on the month.
Individuals' deposits amounted to 114.664 billion denars, up 1.8% on the month and 10.3% higher on the year. The deposits of companies fell by 6.1% on the month and were 23.2% down on the year, reaching 49.787 billion denars.
Eighteen commercial banks operate in Macedonia, a country of around two million people.
(1 euro = 61.9508 Macedonian denars)