Lending markets remain subdued
Lending data released by the Reserve Bank and the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority yesterday show that there has been no pick-up in demand for mortgages or business loans.According to the RBA, total owner-occupier mortgage balances rose by 0.34 per cent in January - an annualised growth rate of 4.1 per cent. Total mortgage balances of $860.6 billion in January was 3.9 per cent higher than balances in January last year.On the APRA numbers, lenders' aggregate mortgage balances grew by 3.7 per cent in the 12 months to January. The annual growth rate is unchanged from the previous month.The figures on business lending are mixed. RBA figures show that business loan balances have grown 2.6 per cent over the past year, while APRA's figures put growth at 6.9 per cent.Household deposits increased by 8.7 per cent over the year to January.Mortgage lenders that have outpaced system in the past 12 months include AMP Bank, ANZ, Bank of Queensland, Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, Citibank, HSBC, Macquarie Bank, National Australia Bank and Suncorp.AMP Bank, with growth of 10.5 per cent over the past year, Macquarie Bank (nine per cent) and Suncorp (12.4 per cent) have been the big movers.In the household deposit market, RaboDirect grew its book by 33.2 per cent over the past 12 months, ME Bank by 31.6 per cent, Investec Bank by 26 per cent and AMP Bank by 19.5 per cent.Personal lending is in the doldrums. The RBA figures show personal loan balances falling 0.5 per cent over the past 12 months (and flat in recent months), while APRA figures show credit card balances falling by 1.6 per cent over the past year (and continuing to fall in recent months).