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Cypriot Banks Demonstrate Continued Improvement In Asset Quality And Provisioning

Improving Credit Quality In Cyprus

The Central Bank of Cyprus (CBC) reported significant progress in the nation’s banking sector. As of the end of October 2025, the non-performing loans ratio—excluding loans to central banks and credit institutions—declined to 4.2 percent from 4.5 percent at the end of September 2025, underscoring a steady month-on-month improvement in credit quality.

Enhanced Buffer Against Credit Losses

Further refinement in asset quality was observed under the European Banking Authority Risk Dashboard methodology, where the non-performing loans ratio fell to 2.1 percent from 2.3 percent over the same period. Enhanced provisioning measures were also reported, with the coverage ratio of non-performing loans rising to 70.7 percent from 68.5 percent a month earlier. This bolstering of credit loss buffers reinforces the system’s resilience amid ongoing challenges.

Restructured Loan Portfolio And Sector Dynamics

At the conclusion of October 2025, the sector’s total restructured loans amounted to €1.1 billion. Of this, €0.5 billion remained classified as non-performing, indicating that a substantial portion of restructured exposures has yet to achieve full normalization. These improvements are in line with broader trends across the euro area, where similar declines and enhancements have been underpinned by both diminishing bad loan stocks and growing loan volumes.

Pan-European Context And Future Outlook

European Central Bank data further reflects this positive trajectory with the euro area’s non-performing loans ratio—excluding cash balances at central banks—declining to 2.22 percent in the second quarter of 2025. Specific segments such as household and corporate lending continue to reflect overall stability, though challenges persist for small and medium-sized enterprises where the ratio exhibited a moderate uptick.

Collectively, these figures affirm that Cypriot banks are on track with systemic asset quality improvements that echo wider euro area trends. Strategic provisioning and declining non-performing loan ratios are critical steps in sustaining the resilience of the banking system in these dynamic economic conditions.

Cyprus GDP Growth Accelerates To 3.3% In Q2 2026 As Employment Rises

Cyprus’ seasonally adjusted GDP grew 0.8% in the second quarter of 2026 from the previous quarter, while employment increased 0.5%, according to Eurostat data.

Compared with the second quarter of 2025, GDP rose 3.3% and employment increased 1.6%. Quarterly economic growth accelerated from 0.5% in the first quarter.

Cyprus Growth Picks Up In Second Quarter

The 0.8% quarterly expansion followed growth of 1.2% in the fourth quarter of 2025 and 0.8% in the third quarter. Annual growth also accelerated to 3.3% from 3% in the first quarter, after reaching 4.2% in the fourth quarter and 3.5% in the third quarter of 2025.

Employment growth resumed after remaining unchanged in the first quarter. The 0.5% quarterly increase followed gains of 0.7% in the fourth quarter and 0.5% in the third quarter of 2025.

Annual employment growth slowed to 1.6% in the second quarter from 2% in both the first quarter of 2026 and the fourth quarter of 2025. Growth stood at 1.4% in the third quarter of 2025.

EU Growth Strengthens

Across the EU, GDP increased 0.7% in the second quarter from the previous quarter, while euro area output rose 0.6%. Both figures marked a sharp acceleration from the first quarter, when EU GDP grew 0.1% and euro area GDP was unchanged.

Year on year, GDP increased 1.4% in the EU and 1.2% in the euro area, up from 0.9% and 0.6%, respectively, in the previous quarter.

Ireland recorded the strongest quarterly growth at 10.2%, followed by Slovenia at 1.8% and Lithuania at 1.7%. Austria was the only member state to record a contraction, with GDP falling 0.1%.

Consumption And Trade Support Growth

Household consumption contributed 0.2 percentage points to quarterly growth in both the euro area and the EU. Net exports added 0.9 percentage points in the euro area and 0.8 points in the EU.

Inventory changes reduced growth by 0.5 percentage points in both regions. Gross fixed capital formation had little impact in the euro area and added 0.1 percentage points in the EU.

Employment increased 0.1% quarter on quarter in both the euro area and the EU. Annual employment growth reached 0.5% in the euro area and 0.4% in the EU, with 221.4 million people employed across the EU and 176.4 million in the euro area.

Hours worked increased 0.1% in both regions from the previous quarter. Compared with a year earlier, hours worked rose 0.7% in the euro area and 0.8% in the EU.

Employment Trends Vary Across Europe

Portugal recorded the strongest quarterly employment growth at 1%, followed by the Czech Republic and Malta at 0.9% each. Finland saw the largest decline, at 0.8%, followed by Greece at 0.4%.

In the United States, GDP increased 0.4% from the previous quarter and 2.1% year on year.

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