Banks Loaned €20.6 Billion to Businesses in 2024 – 21% to Manufacturing

In 2024, loans issued by banks to businesses surged to €20.6 billion, up from €12.8 billion in 2023. The largest share of €8.5 billion went to large enterprises, while medium-sized businesses received €3.2 billion and small enterprises got €1.8 billion. Data from the AnaCredit database, cited in the Bank of Greece’s Monetary Policy Report 2024–2025, highlights that significant funds (around €3 billion) were allocated to companies established in 2024 without published financial data or employee numbers. Notably, a substantial portion of loans was linked to holding companies classified as micro-enterprises but not representative of typical small businesses due to their operational nature. In terms of loan volume, over half were directed toward micro-enterprises. The loans predominantly supported industries such as manufacturing (21%) and electricity production/renewable energy exploitation (20%). Other sectors included wholesale/retail trade (12%), transportation/storage (12%), and accommodation/food services (10%). Among credit products, ‘credit lines’ accounted for 62% of new loans, followed by term loans at 28%, and revolving credits at approximately 9%. These categories covered nearly all new bank loans to domestic non-financial enterprises in 2024.