YEREVAN, November 8. /ARKA/. The total credit investments of Armenian banks, including deposits, factoring and leasing, increased 2.3% to over 1.5 trillion drams as of the end of 2012 third quarter, according to the report on 2012 performance of the banks compiled by Armenia’s Central Bank.

The report shows that real estate reported the highest lending growth from the second quarter ( by 52.7% to 16.7 billion drams), professional, scientific and technical spheres- by 18.2% o 4 billion drams, and transport and communication- by 16.6% to 10.3 billion drams.

Financial lending also rose by 8.5%, mining lending- by 8.5%, electricity- 5.4%, service and catering- 4.4%, other- 4.2%.

At the same time, culture and rest lending slashed by 23.9% to 4.3 billion drams in July-September, agriculture- by 4.8% to 97.6 billion drams,  cargo transportation and warehouse- 6.2% to 40.2 billion drams, education- 2.7% to 3.3 billion drams, commerce- 1.6% to 321.9 billion drams.

Consumer and mortgage lending also climbed by 4.5% to 272.2 billion drams and 2.2% to 123.3 billion drams respectively.

The largest share in Armenia’s credit portfolio belongs to commerce lending – 21%, consumer loans- 17.8%, processing industry- 11.3%, mortgage lending-8% and construction- 6.7%.

As of 30 September 2012 there are 21 banks and 465 branches in Armenia. ($1 – 407.93 drams). —0-