Central Bank: Interest Rates Continued to Edge Down in December

Sofia, January 27 (BTA) - In December 2016, the Base Interest Rate (BIR) 2 was 0.00 per cent. It declined by 0.01 percentage points on December 2015, while retaining its November 2016 level, the Bulgarian National Bank said.

In December 2016, compared to December 2015 the average interest rate on lev-denominated and euro-denominated deposits with agreed maturity decreased by 0.36 percentage points to 0.14 per cent and 0.26 per cent respectively. In comparison with November 2016, the average interest rate on lev-denominated deposits with agreed maturity decreased by 0.14 percentage points, while it increased by 0.01 percentage points for those agreed in euro.

In December 2016 compared with December 2015 the average interest rate on lev-denominated deposits with agreed maturity decreased by 0.81 percentage points to 0.67 per cent and on those in euro - by 0.66 percentage points to 0.51 per cent.

Compared to November 2016, the average interest rate on lev-denominated deposits with agreed maturity increased by 0.03 percentage points, while for those in euro it retained its November 2016 level.

In December 2016, compared to December 2015, the average interest rate on loans up to 1 million euro decreased by 0.97 percentage points to 4.36 per cent for loans agreed in leva and by 0.71 percentage points to 4.21 per cent for those agreed in euro.

The average interest rate on loans over 1 million euro declined by 1.47 percentage points to 3.61 per cent for loans agreed in leva and by 0.36 percentage points to 4. 16 per cent for those agreed in euro.

In December 2016, compared to December 2015, the average interest rate on lev-denominated consumer loans declined by 0.69 percentage points to 10.84 per cent and on those in euro - by 0.99 percentage points to 5.45 per cent. It decreased by 1.07 percentage points to 4.37 per cent for lev-denominated loans for house purchases and by 1.92 percentage points to 4.11 per cent for those in euro.