FX.co ★ Eurozone Lending Rises Less than Expected

Bank lending to Eurozone households increased by 3% year-on-year to €7.175 trillion in February 2026, slightly below market expectations of 3.1%. The rise points to a continued recovery in credit demand, underpinned by the European Central Bank’s recent policy easing. Corporate lending also strengthened, with growth accelerating to 2.9% in February from 2.8% in January. Taken together, overall credit growth to the private sector—encompassing both households and non-financial corporations—reached 3.3%, down marginally from 3.4% in the previous month.