YEREVAN, November 24. /ARKA/. Armenian banks’ lending to private companies grew by 8% in the third quarter to an overall 708.3 billion drams.

According to banks’ financial reports, their aggregate loan portfolio amounted to AMD 1159.1 billion in late September against AMD 1008.9 billion in early July.

Lending to private companies made up 61.11% of their credit portfolio.

ARKA News Agency’s analysis shows that Ameriabank was the largest creditor of private companies in late September. Its share in banks’ aggregate lending for private companies was 15.5%.

Ameriabank’s lending to private organizations amounted to AMD 109.5 billion and made up 85.26% of its loan portfolio in late September.

HSBC Banks Armenia, with its AMD 82.4 billion lent to private organizations, came second, Armbusinessbank, with AMD 73.1 billion third, Bank VTB (Armenia), with AMD 58.6 billion, fourth and ACBA CREDIT AGRICOLE BANK, with AMD 54.3 billion, fifth. Their shares in their aggregate credit portfolio were 79.64%, 73.31%, 55.51% and 40.33% respectively.

Some banks also reported how they have distributed loans among small, mid-scale and large businesses.

In particular, Ameriabank has lent AMD 92.8 billion to large organizations and AMD 16.7 billion to small and medium companies.

HSBC Bank Armenia has lent AMD 56.1 billion to large and AMD 26.3 billion to small and medium companies.

Armbusinessbank has lent AMD 29.2 billion to large and AMD 43.9 billion to small and medium companies.

Some 21 commercial banks operated in Armenia in late September. ($1 = AMD 384.03). -0-