In March 2011 MFI interest rates on new deposits showed mixed developments whereas MFI interest rates on new loans mainly increased. MFI interest rates on outstanding amounts of deposits and loans mostly increased or remained unchanged.

MFI interest rates on new business: in March 2011 the weighted average rate on deposits from households with an agreed maturity of up to one year remained basically unchanged at 2.34%, while the corresponding deposit rate for non-financial corporations increased by 5 basis points to 1.37%. The weighted average rate on deposits from households redeemable at up to three months’ notice remained basically unchanged at 1.61%.

The interest rate on housing loans to households at a floating rate or with an initial rate fixation period of up to one year increased by 5 basis points to 3.01% in March 2011. The corresponding rate on loans with an initial rate fixation period of more than five years and up to ten years increased by 9 basis points to 4.15%. The weighted average rate on loans to households for consumption purposes, with an initial rate fixation period of over one and up to five years, increased by 10 basis points to 6.23% in March 2011.

In the case of loans to non-financial corporations at a floating rate or with an initial rate fixation period of up to one year, the weighted average rate in March 2011 increased by 10 basis points to 3.70% for loans up to EUR 1 million and remained unchanged at 2.62% for loans over EUR 1 million during the same period. The weighted average rate on loans to non-financial corporations over EUR 1 million with an initial rate fixation period of more than five years remained basically unchanged at 3.84% in March
2011.

MFI interest rates on outstanding amounts: in March 2011 the weighted average interest rate on outstanding amounts of deposits from households with an agreed maturity of up to two years remained basically unchanged at 2.37%. The corresponding rate on deposits with an agreed maturity of over two years remained basically unchanged at 2.71%. The weighted average interest rate on outstanding amounts of deposits from non-financial corporations with an agreed maturity of up to two years increased by 5 basis points to 1.85% in March 2011.

In March 2011 the weighted average interest rate on outstanding amounts of loans to households for house purchase with over five years’ maturity remained basically unchanged at 3.84% and the weighted average interest rate on outstanding amounts of loans to non-financial corporations with over five years’maturity remained basically unchanged at 3.50%.

Weighting method: the interest rates on new business are weighted by the size of the individual agreements. This is done both by the reporting agents and when computing the national and euro area averages. In addition to changes in the actual interest rates, changes in the euro area average interest rates on new business therefore reflect changes in the weights of the new business per country for the instrument categories concerned.