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April 13, 2017 www.intellinews.com I Page 23
bne:Banker EBRD to expand
activities in Albania in 2017
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) plans to expand its activities in Albania during 2017, after making a record number of investments the previous year.
Investments are expected in various parts of the Albanian economy, mostly in the agricultural, energy, railway and tourism sectors.
“A record-high volume of investments by the EBRD were registered in Albania last year, estimated at $177mn,” the head of the EBRD's operations in Albania, Matteo Colangeli, was cited by news agency ATA as saying on April 10.
Colangeli added that the EBRD will continue its initiatives to sup- port reforms in the agricultural sector. The railway sector will also be an important part of the EBRD's engagement in Albania in 2017.
Loans to households in Slovenia totalled €10.1bn in February, slightly increasing from €10.06bn in January, which was also up from €10.01bn on December 31, 2016. This marks a positive trend for six consecutive months, the Slovenian central bank Banka Slovenije (BS) announced on April 11 in its latest monthly report on the banking sector.
Overall, loans to households in Slovenia have steadily increased in annual terms for three consecutive years.
The governor of the Czech National Bank said in comments pub- lished on April 11 that it may be close to the middle of the year before the koruna stabilises.
In one of the biggest money market moves in the region in the
year to date, the central bank surprised markets as it scrapped its 41-month cap of CZK27 to the euro on April 6. The koruna imme- diately rose, but thus far has not crossed CZK26.50. It is thought that appreciation will continue as investors that bet on a rise in the value of the Czech currency in recent months unwind positions that some suggest total over €65bn.
Governor Jiri Rusnok told the daily Pravo that he expects it will take some time for the dust to settle. "We do not know,” how long it will be before the koruna is stable, he admitted. “I estimate it can take several weeks but also a month, [or] two.”
Slovenia’s household loans keep upward trend in February
Czech National Bank eyes stable koruna by summer