Salvadoran Banks: Few Loans, Excess Liquidity

Banks have been very cautious when granting loans; as a result, their liquidity is 24.4% above the legal requirement.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Abansa, the country’s banking association, reported that in January the index measuring liquidity stood at 41.42%, more than in January 2009 (36.51%).

Economists and business leaders criticize banks for not lending these resources to the productive sectors of the country.

“Manuel Enrique Hinds, Economic Analyst, considers the restriction to credit as one of the reasons behind the current economic stagnation, along with insecurity”.

More on this topic

Credit for Private Sector Drops to 8.3% in Guatemala

April 2009

Up to and including April 9, the total growth (including loans in local and foreign currency) was 8.3%, the lowest in the last two years.

Despite measures taken by monetary authorities to keep the money market liquid in order to stimulate credit, financing to companies has not reactivated. Directors of the Industrial Bank and G&T Continental state that they are receiving up to 20% fewer loan requests.

500 SMEs Under Threat

October 2009

With sales plummeting 45% and lacking credit, some 500 micro, small and medium companies are under risk of closing.

José Fernández, president of Anmpih (Association of Micro, Small and Medium Insutrial companies), labeled the situation as "critical".

"This is a disaster, even companies from the service sector believe they won't get through next year, and some 500 micro companies are about to close due to lack of funds, as they don't even know how they'll pay the Christmas bonus", warned José Fernandez in a Laprensahn.com article.

Credit Continues to Drop in Guatemala

June 2009

June shows 12-month growth in credit at 6.7%, below the 11.7% it had at the beginning of this year.

According to the president of the Chamber of Industry of Guatemala, Thomas Dougherty, uncertainty about the international economy and contingency plans brought about by companies are a few of the causes for the decrease in requests for lines of credit.

Salvadoran Banks Have $800 Million to Lend

April 2010

Banks in El Salvador remarked they have resources to boost the country’s economic recovery and lend them to companies.

Armando Arias, president of the Salvadoran Banking Association (ABANSA), explained they now have enough liquidity to assist the country in its economic recovery, thanks to being very cautious during the crisis.


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