A view shows the logo of the European Central Bank (ECB) outside its headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany March 16, 2023.
REUTERS/Heiko Becker/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsFRANKFURT, Oct 25 (Reuters) - Bank lending across the euro zone came to a near standstill last month, European Central Bank data showed on Wednesday, providing further evidence that the 20-nation bloc was skirting a recession.
Still, detailed data suggest that underlying trends may be more nuanced as the monthly flow of fresh loans was a positive 14.0 billion euros, reversing much of the previous month's negative 19.9 billion euro reading.
Lending is taking a hit after a string of interest rate hikes took the ECB's key rate to a record high 4% last month, all in the hope this would depress activity enough for inflation to return to 2%.
Lending to households meanwhile rose by just 0.8% after a 1.0% increase in August with the monthly flow of loans at a positive 4.5 billion euros, ECB data showed.
Persons:
Heiko Becker, Balazs Koranyi, Francesco Canepa
Organizations:
European Central Bank, REUTERS, Rights, Bank, PMI, Thomson
Locations:
Frankfurt, Germany