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Interest rates on housing loans up and down on deposits

Cypriot banks raised mortgage rates in August while cutting interest on one-year deposits for households, according to data released by the Central Bank of Cyprus (CBC).

Meanwhile, the total value of new loans dropped sharply in August, falling by 33 per cent compared to July.

The latest figures, published on Wednesday reveal that the interest rate for short-term deposits by households fell to 1.79 per cent, from 1.96 per cent in July. In contrast, the deposit rate for businesses (non-financial companies) travelled in the opposite direction up to 2.33 per cent in August from 2.28 per cent in the previous month.

Consumer loan rates also saw a small decline, dropping to 6.59 per cent from 6.67 per cent in the previous month. Mortgage rates rose marginally to 4.65 per cent, from 4.59 per cent.

Rates for businesses, on loans €1 million also fell to 5.36 per cent from 5.61 per cent. For loans

above €1 million the rate fell to 5.42 per cent from 5.64 per cent.

In terms of new loans, there was a marked drop across the board. Total new loans fell to €395.5 million, down from €596.3 million in July.

Consumer loans also fell with net new loans at €19m, compared to July’s €28m (€26.1m net).

Loans for house purchases also declined significantly, falling to €95.6m, of which €72.3m were net new loans, down from €134.3m (€100.7m net) in July.

New loans of under a million euro to businesses decreased to €52.8m (€34.1m net), down from €75.5m in July (€49.5m net).

Similarly, loans of over a million euros were halved to €179.3m (€78.3m net), compared to €345.2m (€211.8m net) in the previous month.

Bitcoin Surges 23% In A Week As Investor Optimism Returns

Bitcoin was on track for a weekly gain of around 23% on Friday as a series of positive macroeconomic and policy developments boosted investor sentiment.

The cryptocurrency was trading about 6% higher at roughly $77,000, up from around $62,800 at the start of the week. Crypto-related stocks also rallied, with Coinbase and Circle gaining more than 9%, while Strategy rose 7%.

Macro Factors Fuel Rally

Bitcoin’s latest surge began Wednesday after Treasury yields fell sharply following a major intervention by the U.S. Treasury in the bond market. Lower yields eased pressure on risk assets and helped trigger a broader move into cryptocurrencies.

The rally was further amplified by a major short squeeze. Around $2.7 billion in crypto short positions were liquidated, according to CoinGlass.

Max Stuedlein, head of Partnerships at Sygnum APAC, said the move reflected an alignment of macroeconomic and policy catalysts, including the Treasury’s decision to increase buybacks of longer-dated government debt.

Clarity Act Boosts Sentiment

Investor confidence improved further on Thursday as the White House and crypto industry leaders made a final push to advance the Clarity Act in the coming weeks.

The legislation is widely viewed as a potential catalyst for the crypto market, although its chances of passing remain relatively limited.

Despite the rally, bitcoin remains well below its 2026 high of $94,820 reached in January and its all-time high of $126,198, set last October.

Analysts See More Volatility Ahead

Lucy Gazmararian, founder and managing partner at Token Bay Capital, said the crypto market may be approaching the end of its bear cycle.

She expects bitcoin could experience one more decline of around 20% before the market turns, pointing to historical cycles and the recent liquidation of heavily leveraged short positions.

Gazmararian also described bitcoin as a long-term hedge against monetary debasement, while warning that its short-term price remains highly volatile and driven by market cycles.

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