Page 88 - bne IntelliNews SE Outlook Regions 2024

Trade in non-food products climbed by 22.9% y/y, after rising by 20.6% y/y in September. Trade in motor fuels decreased by 0.3% y/y, after increasing by 6.1% y/y in September.
In the first ten months of 2023 retail sales grew by 13.9% y/y.
A threat to Bosnia's retail sales is inflation, which is eroding both domestic income and remittances. The Directorate for Economic Planning (DEP) expects that in 2024-2026 the employment rate will increase thanks to expected stabilisation of the international situation, which could boost retail sales. The number of employed people in Bosnia in 2024 could rise by 1.7% y/y, while wages should also rise, by between 3.2% and 3.9%.
5.2.2 Banks
Bosnia’s banking sector is well capitalised and generates significant
profits from year to year.
The net profit of banks in the Federation stood at BAM432mn (€220.9mn), while their combined revenue stood at BAM1.09bn (€557.3mn) in January-September, with interest revenue accounting for 55.2%. Deposits stood at BAM23.6bn, including BAM11.5bn of households and BAM5.5bn of companies, according to the latest available data of the entity’s banking authority.
Total loans stood at BAM17.1bn, with the share of loans to households reaching 56.9%. The banking agency of the Federation provided no annual comparison figures.
In Republika Srpska, commercial banks posted a net profit of BAM147.3mn in the first nine months of 2023, up by 28% y/y. The total revenue increased by 19% y/y to BAM477.6mn with income from interests rising by 24% y/y to BAM299.3mn.
Loans stood at BAM5.93bn, up by 2% y/y with loans to households comprising 50.4%, and those to companies 34.4%.
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