The FINANCIAL -- The volume of lending by commercial banks (including loans to non-residents) increased by 1.1 percent compared to the previous month and exceeded 5.2 billion GEL by February 1, 2010.

The volume of loans provided in the national currency increased by 2.2 million GEL (0.2 percent), while the volume of loans in foreign currency increased by 53.4 million GEL (1.3 percent).

By the end of January 2010 commercial banks issued to resident legal entities 548.7 million GEL worth of national currency-denominated loans (2.6 percent or 14.8 million GEL less than in the beginning of the year) and 2.4 billion GEL worth of loans in foreign currency (0.2 percent or 5.6 million GEL more, respectively).

"Out of the total volume of lending to legal entities, the biggest share falls on trade – 45.8 percent. Compared to December of the last year the volume of loans provided for trade decreased by 0.4 percent or 6.0 million GEL and constituted 1.4 billion GEL," National Bank of Georgia informs.

Share of loans provided to the industrial sector constituted 22.1 percent of all loans to legal entities and amounted to 656.2 million GEL by February 1, 2010 (2.9 percent or 19.8 million GEL decrease compared to the previous month). 11.7 percent fall on construction, amounting to 348.0 million GEL (2.0 percent or 6.8 million GEL increase, respectively). Thus, 79.6 percent of the total volume of lending to the legal entities falls only on three sectors – industry, construction and trade.

The volume of lending to individuals increased by 0.8 percent or 15.7 million GEL, during the past month, and exceeded 2.0 billion GEL by February 1, 2010.

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