During April-June, rates on targeted bank loans for small and medium-sized businesses, excluding preferential government programs, may decrease to 15-17% per annum. This was reported by Oksana Shulga, director of the small and medium-sized business department at Globus Bank.
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Discount rate
According to the expert, the most important incentive for improving lending conditions is a gradual reduction in the discount rate . In her opinion, within 2-3 months the National Bank can reduce the discount rate from the current 14.5% to 14-13%, which will allow commercial banks to more actively develop lending to small and medium-sized businesses on more favorable terms.
“The development of bank lending is actually “tied” to the size of the discount rate. After all, the discount rate actually fixes the current value of the national currency and the cost of financial resources attracted for the development of lending. That is why the lower the discount rate, the more favorable the conditions for borrowers,” emphasized Oksana Shulga.
Demand for loans
The specialist noted that in the first quarter of 2024, compared to the same period last year, the number of targeted loans issued for SMEs almost doubled. At the same time, more than 90% of all loans issued for SMEs fall on general programs of banks and manufacturers/suppliers of fixed business assets.
She noted that since the beginning of 2024, the greatest demand has been observed for loans for the purchase of a car for business (more than 40% of all loans for small and medium-sized businesses), purchase of commercial equipment (about 30% of all loans for small and medium-sized businesses), production equipment (25% of loans).
At the same time, the most common (more than 95% of loans) are loans for a period of 3-5 years with the average amount of the requested loan up to UAH 1.2 million.
“Government programs to support small and medium-sized businesses, such as, for example, “5−7−9”, “Available factoring”, “Affordable financial leasing 5−7−9%” are an important basis for banks focusing their efforts on the development of their own credit facilities. programs It is too early to say that commercial banks will be able to offer percentage-competitive lending conditions for small and medium-sized businesses. programs with manufacturers/suppliers of fixed business assets, as well as in the optimal ratio of the amount and loan term: up to 2-3 million UAH for a period of up to 5 years with monthly repayment,” the banker emphasized.
The expert believes that in In the second quarter, the popularity of bank loans for small and medium-sized businesses will only gain momentum. At the same time, the optimal result for banks developing lending to small and medium-sized businesses will be 50-60 loans issued monthly for a total amount of more than 80 million UAH.