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Cyprus Banks Set To Ease Lending Criteria Amid Rising Credit Demand

by News Editor

March 7, 2025

The financial landscape in Cyprus is witnessing a pivotal shift as banks gear up to relax lending criteria for the first time since the global financial crisis of 2009. According to a Central Bank survey, there is an anticipated surge in credit demand as lending terms become more accommodating.

An Economic Revival?

With the service sector showing booming growth in 2024, the January 2025 Bank Lending Survey points towards a more lax approach in borrower assessments. This marks a significant change from the previously stringent conditions that have persisted since 2017 for household loans and even earlier for business loans.

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The fourth quarter of 2024 observed a decline in interest rates and reduced bank margins across various loan types. This trend aligns with banks’ perceptions of diminished risk within the economy, leading to competitive lending strategies particularly for business and mortgage loans.

Mixed Signals For Loan Applicants

Interestingly, while rejections of business loan applications fell—for both small-to-medium enterprises and large corporations—the rejection rate for household loans inched upwards, despite an overall easing of lending terms.

For past accolades in the banking sector, check out how the Bank of Cyprus was honored with JP Morgan’s Quality Recognition Award for its exceptional service.

Microsoft Bets Big On South Africa With $297M AI And Cloud Investment

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

March 7, 2025

Microsoft is doubling down on its commitment to South Africa, pledging an additional 5.4 billion rand ($297 million) by 2027 to expand its cloud and AI infrastructure in the country.

The announcement, made by Vice Chairman Brad Smith in Johannesburg, comes ahead of a key South African investment conference and adds to the 20.4 billion rand Microsoft has already poured into Africa’s most industrialized economy.

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Driving Growth Through AI And Talent

Beyond boosting infrastructure, Microsoft is making a play for South Africa’s digital future. Over the next year, the tech giant will fund certification exams for 50,000 young people, equipping them with in-demand digital skills to fuel economic growth and innovation.

South Africa has struggled with sluggish economic expansion—averaging under 1% growth annually for more than a decade—and is actively courting private-sector investment to accelerate momentum.

Big Tech’s Race For Africa

Microsoft was an early mover in South Africa’s cloud computing race, launching data centers in Johannesburg and Cape Town long before Amazon and Google entered the market. The company is now ramping up capacity with a new facility in Centurion, Gauteng, while also spearheading a $1 billion geothermal-powered data center in Kenya.

President Cyril Ramaphosa welcomed the move, calling Microsoft’s investment a vote of confidence in South Africa’s economic potential. “This company really has an African heart,” he said, underscoring the country’s efforts to position itself as a prime destination for global tech investment.