Breaking news

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.

Cyprus Reconsiders EU Green Taxes to Prevent Consumer Impact

The Cypriot government is navigating complex tax scenarios amid new EU green regulations that pose potential increases in consumer costs. Responding to these concerns, President Nikos Christodoulides highlighted the strategic necessity to stall or minimize new carbon taxes to prevent significant financial pressure on residents through heightened water and fuel tariffs.

These proposed measures fall under the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), aimed at accelerating Europe’s green transition. During a recent interview with Omega TV, President Christodoulides assured that Cyprus is working closely with EU officials to mitigate these impacts, even if it means sacrificing some financial assistance from the initiative.

Efforts to balance environmental commitments with fiscal responsibilities reflect a broader dedication to sustainable development.

The Future Forbes Realty Global Properties

Become a Speaker

Become a Speaker

Become a Partner

Subscribe for our weekly newsletter