Financial institutions (discontinued), Q4 2009

The slight decrease in total lending is mainly due to the banks, which reduced their lending by 0.9 per cent to NOK 2 378 billion during the fourth quarter. One reason for the decline is the transfer of loans from banks to mortgage companies and the establishment of new mortgage companies, as well as factors related to regulations concerning bonds with priority and the government’s actions aimed at the financial crisis.

The finance and mortgage companies lending to the public (municipalities, non-financial corporations and households) increased by 30.7 per cent to NOK 919 billion in the last 12 months.

Lower interest margin

The difference between the banks' average interest rates on loans and the average deposit rates, the interest rate margin, fell by 0.27 percentage points to 2.40 per cent in the last 12 months. From the last quarter, the interest rate margin fell by 0.09 percentage points.

Increased stock of securities

Investments in securities increased by 21.8 per cent to NOK 1 909 billion during the fourth quarter of 2009 compared to last year. The value of investments in equities, units and primary capital certificates increased by 20 per cent, while investment in bonds has increased by 10.9 per cent compared to the fourth quarter last year. Bonds still have the largest share of the stock of securities by 62.1 per cent, while equities, units and primary capital certificates account for 25.4 per cent.

Decreased total assets

Total assets for all financial institutions decreased by 1.9 per cent to NOK 6 555 billion compared with the corresponding quarter last year. The total assets in banks decreased by 3 per cent, while the total assets in insurance companies and finance companies increased by 6.2 per cent and 9.8 per cent respectively during the same period.

Tables

Published tables