Financial transactions in the banking sector conducted through the Central Bank system reached the highest level in the history of the banking sector, amounting to approximately 22 trillion 57 billion dirhams during the first 11 months of last year. Of these, 13 trillion 193.5 billion dirhams were interbank transfers, and 8 trillion 863.9 billion dirhams were transfers between clients, according to a statement released yesterday by the Central Bank.
The growth in financial transactions conducted through the Central Bank system reflects the resilience of the official financial system and the reliance of clients and banks on official financial channels, represented in the 'Central' system. This is due to the high speed of the system, which operates around the clock, as well as very high levels of security.
The data also showed that the number of checks cleared using their digital images through the Central Bank's check clearing system reached 20.86 million checks worth 1.3 trillion dirhams during the first 11 months of last year. The total amount withdrawn by banks from the Central Bank was 224.3 billion dirhams, compared to deposits made by banks with the 'Central Bank' amounting to 206 billion dirhams during the same period.
According to the data, banks continued to expand lending to individuals, whether in the form of personal loans, car financing, credit cards, or financing for building or purchasing a private home. The cumulative balance for this item reached 565.6 billion dirhams by the end of last November, the highest value to date, compared to 557.2 billion dirhams at the end of the previous October, an increase of 8.4 billion dirhams monthly, equivalent to a monthly growth of 1.5%.
According to the data, the total financing by banks to the industrial and commercial sectors amounted to 917.2 billion dirhams at the end of the reporting month, compared to 920.1 billion dirhams at the end of the previous October, a slight decrease of 0.3%.
The data showed that the total investments of banks reached 840.6 billion dirhams by the end of last November, compared to 835.1 billion dirhams at the end of the previous October, an increase of 5.5 billion dirhams monthly, representing a growth of 0.7%.
