Loan markets soft
Lending growth has slowed in both the home loan and business markets, while personal credit is going backwards.According to the latest Reserve Bank lending data, lenders' mortgage balances grew by 6.7 per cent in the 12 months to June - the slowest annual growth rate in two years.Growth in business loan balances has eased from an annual growth rate of 7.4 per cent in April, which was a seven-year high, to an annual growth rate of 6.6 per cent in June.Personal loan balances have fallen steadily for the past six months. Balances were down 0.8 per cent in the 12 months to June - the worst year-on-year result since 2012.In the mortgage market, lenders owner-occupier balances grew 0.5 per cent in June, compared with the previous month, and by 7.7 per cent over the year to June.Investor mortgage balances grew by 0.4 per cent in June, compared with the previous month, and by five per cent over the year to June.According to Australian Prudential Regulation Authority banking statistics, ANZ, Auswide, Bank of Queensland, HSBC Bank Australia, ING Direct, Westpac and a number of small mutual banks grew their mortgage books above system over the 12 months to June.Mortgage lenders whose growth was below system over the 12 months included AMP Bank, Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, Macquarie Bank, ME, National Australia Bank and Suncorp. Commonwealth Bank matched system.