Between April 2020 and the same month of 2021, corporate credit to the local sector decreased 16% from $26,628 million to $22,386 million.
According to the report "Informe de Actividad Bancaria - Abril 2021", prepared by the Superintendence of Banks of Panama, consumer credit showed a 0.9% increase driven by mortgage credit.
Between July and October 2020, the number of people in El Salvador exploring mortgage options online increased by 18%, and the number of Costa Rican consumers looking to buy credit cards decreased by 60%.
CentralAmericaData's interactive platform Consumer Insights monitors in real time the changes in consumer habits in all markets in the region and in other Latin American countries, with fundamental information to understand their behavior, new trends and anticipate eventual changes in their purchase patterns.
Setting a maximum usury rate and preventing clients from getting into debt to the extent of reducing their income below the minimum wage line are some of the changes that have arisen due to the application of the new law that has been in force since June 20.
On June 20, 2020 the Usury Law was published in the scope number 150 to La Gaceta number 147, which establishes the methodology to be used to set the maximum interest rate, from which the crime of usury will be considered to exist, details an official statement.
Legal or natural persons who apply for the moratorium on loan payments in Panama must prove to the banking institutions that they have been economically affected by the outbreak of covid-19 and that they cannot cancel their quotas.
In Guatemala, banks will grant deferrals and will wait for loans whose debtors are directly or indirectly affected by the spread of the coronavirus, specifically those that are not more than one month late on February 29.
The Guatemalan Banking Association (ABG) reported on March 21 that these decisions were made with the objective of supporting clients and users of banking services, who will be affected by the spread of covid-19.
As a result of the economic effects that the outbreak of covid-19 will cause in the National Assembly, a general suspension of the payment of taxes, basic services and bank credits for three months is proposed, but the businessmen think that it is not suitable to generalize the measures.
Bill No. 390, which proposes the suspension of payments and collections of taxes, social security contributions, mortgage loans, commercial and agricultural loans, is advancing in the National Assembly.
In order to help cooperatives, cope with the emergency caused by the spread of covid-19, the National Institute for Cooperative Development agreed to reduce the interest rate on loans.
This decision was taken to support the cooperative sector, especially the agricultural sector, which has been suffering from a variety of effects. The authorities also hope to make a significant contribution to the country, in the context of the current epidemiological situation, reported the National Institute for Cooperative Development (INFOCOOP).
Consistent with the trend of recent months, mortgage and personal loans again represented most of the 5% increase in credit to the private sector up to November 2018.
According to the latest report of the Superintendence of Banks, in November last year the portfolio of loans granted to the private sector totaled $54.626 million, which is equivalent to an increase of 5.3% over the $51.873 million reported in November 2017.
The builders' guild in El Salvador is preparing a law proposal, which provides for the approval of preferential interest rates on loans for home purchases.
The proposal to be presented by the Salvadoran Chamber of Construction Industry (CASALCO) will be applicable for bank loans to low- and middle-income families who purchase their first home.
Mortgage and personal loans continue to determine a significant part of the 5% increase in domestic credit to the private sector, recorded between July 2017 and the same month in 2018.
More recent data from the Superintendence of Banks, up to the seventh month of the year the credit portfolio of the private sector reached $52,607 million, which is equivalent to an increase of 5.4% with respect to the $49,921 million reported up to July 2017.
Because of the hike in interest rates in the United States, several banks in Panama are already increasing mortgage rates by between 0.25% and 0.50%.
According to representatives of the Banking Association of Panama (ABP), the increase in mortgage loans is mainly due to the upward adjustment that interest rates are experiencing worldwide, which will affect the Panamanian market in the short and medium term.
In the eighth month of 2018, credit granted by Guatemalan banks to the private sector totaled $26,168 million, 5% more than was reported between January and August of 2017.
The latest figures from Banco de Guatemala show that credit to the private sector in the eighth month of 2018 grew by 4.8% with respect to the same month in 2017, rising from $24.970 million to $26.168 million.This increase was below the increase of 5.1% registered between August 2016 and 2017.
Mortgage and personal loans continue to be responsible for much of the 5% increase in domestic credit to the private sector, recorded between June 2017 and the same month in 2018.
According to the latest report by the Superintendency of Banks, in the sixth month of the year the credit portfolio of the private sector totaled $52.311 billion, which is equivalent to an increase of 5.4% compared to the $49.609 billion reported as of June 2017.
Up to July 2018, credit granted by Guatemalan banks to the private sector totaled $26.06 billion, 4.5% more than was reported in the same month in 2017.
The most recent data from Banco de Guatemala shows that credit to the private sector in the seventh month of 2018 grew by 4.5% compared to the same month in 2017, rising from $24.611 billion to $24.942 billion.This increase was below the increase of 5.3% registered between July 2016 and 2017.
Mortgages and personal loans explained much of the 6% increase in domestic credit to the private sector, recorded between May 2017 and the same month in 2018.
According to the latest report by the Superintendency of Banks, in the fifth month of the year, the private sector's credit portfolio totaled $52.167 billion, which is equivalent to an increase of 5.9% compared to the $49.277 billion reported up to May 2017.