Both the government and banks grapple with a tight liquidity situation as the yield of treasury bills, bonds, and lending rates in the banking sector surge. The central bank’s contractionary monetary stance aims to curb inflation over 9%, causing an increase in interest rates.
The weighted average interest rate on loans rose to 7.89% in October from 7.31% in June. Under a new formula, the interest rate on bank loans hit 11.89% in January and is expected to exceed 12%. Despite a slowdown in private sector credit growth to 9.90% in November, banks anticipate a rise in interest rates when credit demand picks up. The liquidity challenge results from the foreign exchange market crisis, prompting calls for increased liquidity flow through higher export earnings and remittances. The central bank’s sale of approximately $29 billion since August 2021, coupled with rising policy rates, contributes to the liquidity crunch.