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Deposit And Lending Rates Decline In Cyprus: November Report Highlights

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

January 8, 2025

The Central Bank of Cyprus (CBC) has released its latest statistics for November, showing a general decline in both deposit and lending rates, with the notable exception of large corporate loans exceeding €1 million. The report also highlights a surge in new loan activity across various categories, indicating a dynamic shift in the financial landscape of Cyprus.

Deposit Rates See Moderate Declines

Interest rates on deposits for both households and non-financial corporations recorded slight decreases in November:

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Households: The interest rate for deposits with a maturity of up to one year fell to 1.70%, compared to 1.76% in October.
Non-Financial Corporations: Corporate deposit rates also declined, dropping to 1.99%, down from 2.19% in the previous month.

Lending Rates: A Mixed Picture

While most lending rates decreased in November, large corporate loans above €1 million experienced a rise:

Consumer Loans: Rates dropped significantly to 6.99%, a notable decline from 8% in October.
House Purchase Loans: The interest rate for home loans decreased to 4.50%, compared to 4.62% in the previous month.
Corporate Loans:
- Loans to non-financial corporations for amounts up to €1 million saw a decline to 5.01%, down from 5.45% in October.
- In contrast, loans exceeding €1 million recorded an increase in rates to 4.97%, up from 4.72%.

New Loan Activity Surges

November saw a significant rise in the total volume of new loans, which increased to €635.7 million, compared to €533.8 million in October.

Consumer Loans:
New consumer loans rose to €25.3 million, of which €22.3 million were classified as pure new loans. This marks an increase from €21.3 million (including €20.2 million pure loans) in October.
House Purchase Loans:
Home loans increased to €129.5 million, with €98.5 million in pure new loans, compared to €115.7 million and €96.1 million, respectively, in October.
Corporate Loans:
- Loans for amounts up to €1 million rose to €73.5 million, including €57.8 million in pure new loans, up from €57.3 million and €41.8 million, respectively, in October.
- Loans exceeding €1 million also grew significantly to €398.2 million, although pure new loans in this category decreased to €154.5 million, down from €201.8 million in October.

Implications For Cyprus’ Financial Sector

The combination of falling interest rates and increased loan activity reflects evolving financial trends in Cyprus. The lower borrowing costs appear to be encouraging higher loan uptake across sectors, particularly in consumer and housing markets. However, the increase in rates for large corporate loans suggests a nuanced approach by financial institutions in addressing varying market needs.

As businesses and households continue to adapt to changing economic conditions, these trends will be crucial in shaping the trajectory of Cyprus’ financial landscape heading into 2025.

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Only 1% Of Cyprus Farms Use Precision Farming Technologies

Cyprus remains one of the European Union’s least digitised agricultural economies, with just 1% of farms using precision farming technologies in 2023, according to Eurostat.

The findings come as the EU continues to encourage the adoption of digital tools aimed at improving agricultural productivity, efficiency and sustainability.

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Internet Access Expands, But Digital Uptake Lags

Internet access has improved across the bloc, although adoption remains uneven. Eurostat found that 43% of EU farms had internet access in 2023, with northern and central European countries leading the way.

Denmark, Germany, Slovakia, Latvia, the Czech Republic and Austria all reported internet access rates above 90%.

Greater connectivity, however, has not translated into widespread digital adoption. Farm management information systems, which help farmers manage day-to-day operations, were used by only about 11% of EU farms. France was a notable exception, with around 60% of farms using the technology.

Precision Farming Concentrated In Larger Operations

Robotics adoption also remained relatively limited, with only about 7% of EU farms using robotic technologies. Overall, around 18% of farms with utilised agricultural area employed at least one precision farming technology or practice in 2023.

These included robotics for plant protection, band spraying, variable-rate application, precision crop monitoring and soil analysis. Despite representing fewer than one in five farms, these holdings accounted for around 44% of the EU’s utilised agricultural area.

The figures suggest that precision farming remains concentrated among larger agricultural businesses, where investment in digital technologies is typically easier to support.

Cyprus Lags Behind EU Leaders

Luxembourg, Finland and Estonia recorded the highest shares of utilised agricultural area managed by farms using precision farming technologies, each exceeding 75%.

At the other end of the ranking, Cyprus recorded just 1%, while Greece and Romania reported between 10% and 15%. The results indicate that Cyprus remains at an early stage of digital adoption in agriculture, even as precision farming becomes more widespread across parts of the European Union.