The stock of client loans and bonds rose over 9% in the twelve months to the end of December, Jelasity said. The NPL ratio in the lending portfolio rose from 3% to 3.6% during the period, he added.
Richárd Szabados, who heads Erste's corporate division, said new outlays to companies rose 7%, including bond subscriptions. SME lending stock increased 9%, he added.
Deputy-CEO for the bank's retail business Lászlo Harmati said new retail outlays edged up 0.7pc, but total lending stock increased 12pc with the end of the blanket repayment moratorium.
Hungary's government replaced the blanket repayment moratorium, introduced in the spring of 2020 to ease the impact of the coronavirus crisis, with a conditional one from November 1.
Harmati said bank card turnover reached a new record in December. After Hungarians raising children got personal income tax refunds in February 2022, bank card turnover set a new daily record, he added.
Jelasity said the PIT refunds were "evident" in early repayments, while savings "jumped, more than expected".
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