YEREVAN, April 22. / ARKA /. Armenian banks’ total lending grew by 2 percent in the first quarter of this year from the beginning of the year to 1.814.3 trillion drams, according to an ARKA news agency’s study.

The leading bank by size of lending was the Russian-owned VTB Bank (Armenia) - 229.9 billion drams. The figure represented a 6 percent rise form the beginning of the year.

It was followed by Ameriabank - 190.6 billion drams (up 2.99%), ACBA -CREDIT AGRICOLE BANK - 177.9 billion drams (up 5%), Ardshininvestbank - about 166. 6 billion drams (a 3.29% decline), and HSBC Bank Armenia - 160 billion drams (an increase of 4.43 %).

The banks’ assets in the reporting period dropped by 0.24 percentage point from the start of the year to about 2.932 trillion drams; their liabilities were down 0.76% to 2.450.3 trillion drams and their total capital was 2.5% up to 481.6 billion drams . ($ 1 - 414.06 drams). -0-