Property and other loans growth poised to slow down



OSK Research said that loans applications dipped as applications for the business and household sectors trended lower. It added that weaker demand for construction and purchases of fixed assets other than land and buildings led to slower business applications.

Loans applications for the household sector declined, mainly due to slowing growth in the purchase of residential property,” said OSK Research.

Loans approval growth slowed due to weaker growth in the business sector with loans approvals for the purchase of fixed assets other than land and buildings being the major drag while loans approvals for the household sector moderated, it added.

Meanwhile, ECM Libra said competition in the mortgage market had resulted in widening negative spread over the base lending rate (BLR).

“This is likely the cause for the fall in average lending rate (ALR) to 4.99% despite average BLR remaining unchanged at 6.27%. Interest margin is under pressure as the ALR-3 month fixed deposit spread has fallen to 2.25%, the lowest level in 12 years,” it added.

However, momentum in merger and acquisition activities is expected to be sustained, which would underpin non-interest income growth. CIMB Group Holdings Bhd would be the main beneficiary, said ECM Libra.